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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

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http://www.archive.org/details/leaorbaptisminjoOOstra 


L  E  A, 


THE  BAPTISM  IN  JORDAN. 


A   TALE    OF   THE    CHURCH 


SECOND    CENTURY 


G.  F.  A.-  STRAUSS, 


COl'RT    PREACHER,    AND    PROFESSOR   IN  THE    UNIVERSITY   OF    BERLIN, 
AUTHOR   OF     "HELON'S   PILGRIMAGE,"    &C. 


TRANSLATED     FROM    THE    GERMAN     BY 
MRS.  H.  C.  CONANT. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED   BY   SAXTON  &  MILES, 
No.  205    Broadway. 

1844. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  )n  the  year  1843,  by 

SAXTON  &  MILES, 

hi  She  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of 
New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  1. 

The  "  Coming  of  the  Messiah," 

CHAPTER  II. 

Despondency,      .... 


CHAPTER  III. 
Domestic  Trials, 23 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Historical  Retrospect,  .         .         .        .         .         29 

CHAPTER  V. 
Expectation  of  the  Messiah-,  38 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  False  Messiah, 

43 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Outcast, , 

48 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Wanderer  finds  a  refuge, 

54 

CHAPTER  IX. 

A  New  Home, 

60 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  True  Messiah,     ...... 

66 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Predictions  of  the  Prophets,  .         .         .         TS 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Study  of  the  Gospels,  ....         80 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Visiters — State  of  the   Country,  .         .         .         90 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Nature  of  the  Presence,         .         .        .         .         98 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Departure  of  the  Visiters,  ,         .         .         ~         104 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Burning  of  the  Cottage, 1 08 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Arrival  at  Pella. — A  Discovery,  .         ,         .         115- 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Thoughts  of  Baptism. — Divisions  in  the  Church,  118' 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Baptism  in  Jordan,      .         .         .         „        .         12T 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Mournful  Anticipations, l  32 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
The  Love  Feast,         .,.,,.         142 


CONTENT?. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Spiritual  Misgiving, 14$ 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Visit  from  Euphemus,        .         .         ,         .         .         156 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

The  Closing  Scene,  .         .        .         .         .        159 


INTRODUCTION.  ^  o 


The  Author  of  the  following  Tale  is  already 
favorably  known  to  the  American  public  by  the 
translation  of  his  Helon's  Pilgrimage.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  among  the  learned 
clergy  of  Prussia,  and  holds  several  of  the 
highest  offices  in  the  royal  gift, — being  Court 
Preacher,  Professor  in  the  Royal  University  of 
Berlin,  Ecclesiastical  Councillor,  &c. 

In  his  present  commanding  position  he  exerts 
a  wide,  and,  without  doubt,  a  highly  salutary  in- 
fluence ;  for  the  spirit  of  evangelical  piety  per- 
vades both  his  instructions  and  his  preaching. 
We  cannot  but  regret,  however,  that  his  with- 
drawal from  the  comparative  seclusion  of  a 
pastor's  life,  has  of  late  years  necessarily  limited 
his  efforts  as  an  author.  During  the  early  part 
of  his  public  life,  he  devoted  himself  with  great 
ardor  to  the  investigation  of  the  history  of  the 
church,  intending  to  embody  the  results  of  his 
studies  in  a  series  of  popular  Tales  illustrating 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

its  successive  periods.  The  object  dearest  to 
his  heart  seems  to  have  been,  the  revival  in  the 
church  of  the  spirit  and  practices  of  primitive 
Christianity.  He  wished  to  rekindle  among  his 
own  brethren  that  pure  religion  whose  home 
is  in  the  heart,  whose  element  of  life  is  holy 
love,  while  its  few  and  simple  but  significant 
ceremonies  are  efficacious  to  him  only,  whose 
bosom  is  already  the  seat  of  a  living  faith.  The 
deep  spirit  of  piety  which  he  carried  into  his 
favorite  studies,  glows  upon  his  pages,  and  we 
cannot  wonder  that  it  awakened  an  answering 
fervor  in  many  hearts.  The  revival  of  pure 
religion  in  the  German  Church  owes  much  to 
his  writings  and  active  labors  ;  and  it  is  hoped 
that  this  little  work,  so  far  as  it  may  find  its 
way  in  its  American  garb,  may  exert  a  kindred 
influence  among  ourselves. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  add,  that  some  few  of 
the  Author's  expressions  are  not  in  harmony 
with  the  translator's  own  views.  Of  course, 
however,  she  has  not  felt  at  liberty  to  expunge 
or  soften  any  of  them,  and  she  is  confident  that 
to  every  pious  mind  these  will  be  overbalanced 
by  the  general  tone  and  spirit  of  the  book. 

H.  C.  C. 


LEA: 


^ 


THE  BAPTISM  IN  JORDAN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

On  the  lovely  shore  of  the  sea  of  Gennesareth 
sat  Lea,  tending  children.  She  was  fifteen  years 
old.  One  who  knew  not  her  highly  excitable  tem- 
perament might  have  supposed  her,  at  that  mo- 
ment, in  an  unaccustomed  situation  ;  yet  was  it  a 
familiar  one. 

The  little  ones  hung  round  her,  and  she  laughed 
and  chatted  gaily  with  them.  But  if,  by  chance, 
her  eye  turned  upon  her  home  near  by  in  Tibe- 
rias, where  she  lived  in  the  family  of  an  aged 
uncle,  her  father's  brother,  the  liveliest  expression 
of  bitter  sorrow  played  in  her  countenance. 
Then  if  a  cool  breeze  came  floating  with  its  load 
of  fragrance  over  the  glassy  mirror  of  the  Gali- 
2 


10  LEA,   OR    THE 

lean  sea,  and  her  enraptured  glance  swept  over 
the  mountains  or  palm-groves  of  the  sea-valley, 
it  lighted  up  with  a  radiance  of  joy.  And  again 
if  she  gazed  along  the  beach,  up  to  the  walls  of 
Capernaum,  where,  till  the  death  of  her  parents, 
she  had  spent  her  youth,  tears  filled  her  eyes, 
and  it  was  not  to  be  mistaken  that  she  wept  not 
only  over  the  beautiful  past,  but  also  over  the 
bitterness  of  her  present  lot  in  the  house  of  her 
hard  kinsman. 

Thus  rapidly  alternated,  in  the  expression  of 
her  countenance,  the  purest  joy  with  the  keenest 
sorrow. 

Now  she  seemed  for  some  moments  lost  in  the 
consciousness  of  her  extreme  wretchedness.  She 
had  risen  with  the  sleeping  infant,  and  stood  bend- 
ing over  the  clear  flood  through  which  one  might 
count  every  pebble  on  the  bottom,  gazing  into 
its  depths  as  if  she  sought  there  the  lost  happiness 
of  her  childhood.  Fast  flowed  the  tears  from 
her  cheeks  into  the  sea. 

But  a  spectacle  caught  her  eye  which  gave 
quite  a  different  tone  to  her  feelings. 

Some  boys  of  Tiberias  came  out  of  the  city, 
and  began  to  play  The  Coming  of  the  Messiah.* 
That  which  formed  the  earnest  expectation  of 
*  See  Appendix,  note  A. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  11 

manhood  and  the  impatient  hope  of  youth,  natu- 
rally affected  the  children  also,  and  became  a 
part  of  their  sports.  Their  parents'  conception 
of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  according  to  the 
instructions  of  the  most  learned  Rabbis,  was  car- 
ried out  and  represented  by  them  in  their  childish 
fashion. 

The  boys  had  scarcely  reached  the  shore  when 
one  among  them,  who  had  wrapt  himself  in  a 
rough  sheepskin  and  fastened  it  with  a  leathern 
girdle,  sprang  upon  a  hillock.  He  would  repre- 
sent Elijah  the  Tishbite,  who  was  to  appear  three 
days  before  the  Messiah.  He  put  forth  all  the 
strength  of  his  childish  lungs  to  make  his  voice 
heard  from  one  end  of  the  earth  to  the  other. 
He  began  with  a  lamentation  over  the  waste 
mountains  of  Israel,  and  announced  first  peace, 
then  prosperity,  and  finally  salvation. 

While  he  was  yet  shouting  with  wide-stretched 
mouth,  and  his  hoarse  tones  had  set  Lea  and  the 
boys  laughing,  the  Messiah  appeared  with  a 
great  train  of  followers.  He  was  the  grandson 
of  Lea's  uncle.  He  rode  upon  an  old  ass,  and 
held  a  staff  in  his  hand.  His  followers  were 
mounted  upon  stilts,  for  the  Rabbi  had  taught 
them  that  in  the  time  of  the  Messiah  men  should 
be  two  hundred  ells  high.     They  cried  out  that 


12 


LEA,    OR    THE 


they  were  come  from  Rome,  where  the  Messiah 
had  been  concealed  in  the  suburbs  among  the 
poor. 

As  they  drew  near,  the  boys  who  had  been  lis- 
tening to  Elijah  divided  into  two  parties.  One 
of  these  joined  themselves  to  the  men  of  two 
hundred  ells.  The  others  fled,  but  soon  came 
back,  having  twigs  hanging  from  the  mouth  to 
represent  the  teeth  of  Messiah's  enemies,  which 
■were  to  grow  twro-and-twenty  ells  long.  These 
godless  ones  were  selected  from  among  the 
younger  and  weaker  children. 

A  tumultuous  conflict  began.  The  teeth  of  the 
foes  were  broken.  Some  of  the  stilts-men,  too, 
tumbled  to  the  ground.  A  universal  shout- 
ing and  yelling  arose,  and  the  struggle  might 
have  had  a  serious  termination,  had  not  Lea  taken 
part  with  the  little  ones  and  brought  the  wanton 
victors  to  order.  Her  nephew,  who  had  enacted 
the  principal  character,  was  angry  at  Lea's  inter- 
ference, and  was  disposed  to  withstand  her.  He 
dismounted  from  his  beast,  and  overwhelmed  her 
with  all  the  words  of  abuse  which  he  had  heard 
applied  to  her  by  his  parents  and  grandparents. 
But  the  other  boys  pacified  him,  and  bade  him  di- 
vide the  reward,  or  they  would  choose  another 
Messiah. 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN,  13 

This  quieted  him.  He  placed  himself  in  the 
midst  of  his  followers,  and  divided  to  them  the 
treasures  of  the  world.  First  he  plunged  his 
hand  into  the  sea  and  brought  up  from  the  water 
a  handful  of  sand,  because  the  sea  was  to  restore 
all  the  silver  and  gold,  all  the  pearls  and  precious 
stones,  which  had  ever  gone  down  into  its  depths. 
Then  he  dug  into  the  shore,  and  threw  out 
some  stones,  because  the  earth  was  to  cast  up  to 
the  light  of  day  all  the  riches  hidden  in  its  bow- 
els. All  these  he  divided  among  the  faithful, 
who  received  their  several  shares  with  loud  and 
joyful  acclamation. 

Now  he  called  out  as  he  had  heard  from  the 
Rabbi  at  school,  "  There  stands  corn,  each  stalk 
as  high  as  a  palm.  Harvest  it !  There  is  wheat, 
each  kernel  as  large  as  the  kidneys  of  the  largest 
ox.  Grind  it !  There  hang  grapes,  each  grape 
as  large  as  a  wine  cask.  Bear  them  home  on  a 
cart,  lay  one  in  a  corner  of  the  house,  tap,  and 
draw  from  it !  There  hang  ripe-red  peaches, 
each  one  bigger  than  a  cauldron.  Cut  it  up  ! 
Do  you  wish  for  honey  ?  It  trickles  from  the 
figs  !  Do  you  wish  for  milk  ?  It  drops  from  the 
goats  !  Do  you  wish  for  clothes  1  They  grow 
upon  the  branches  of  the  palm-trees  !" 

The  whole  troop  rushed  tumultously  forward, 


14  LEA,   OR    THE 

each  one  trying  to  secure  the  best  share  for  him* 
self,  and  each  one  shouting  as  if  resolved  to  outdo 
all  the  rest. 

It  was  time  to  think  of  Jerusalem.  They  select- 
ed the  largest  of  the  loose  stones  which  were  scat- 
tered on  the  shore,  and  threw  them  into  a  heap. 
When  they  had  collected  enough,  they  leaped 
upon  the  pile,  and  proclaimed  themselves  mas- 
ters of  Jerusalem.  Then  they  kindled  a  multitude 
of  little  fires  about  their  city,  because  they  had 
heard  from  grown-up  people,  that  around  Jeru- 
salem were  to  be  fires  which  should  keep  off 
Nebuchadnezzar,  the  emperor  of  Rome,  and  all 
other  godless  foes. 

"  There's  one  thing  you've  forgotten !"  cried 
one  of  the  boys.  "  I  have  heard  my  father,  who 
is  a  learned  Rabbi,  say,  that  the  righteous  will 
walk  about  in  fire  just  as  a  man  walks  now  in 
sunshine.5,  Most  of  the  boys  thought  they  could 
not  go  so  far  as  this.  But  Lea's  nephew  was  so 
puffed  up  with  his  honors,  that  he  leaped  forth- 
with into  the  fire  which  blazed  highest.  The 
coals  burned  his  feet,  the  flames  caught  his  gar- 
ments and  singed  his  hair.  He  set  up  a  fright- 
ful scream,  and  the  other  boys  sprang  back  from 
him. 

Lea  laid  down  the  infant  on  the  sand,  ran  and 


BAPTISM   IN   JORDAN.  15 

threw  herself  on  the  boy,  and  thus  smothered  the 
fire.  Then  dragging  him  by  the  arm  into  the 
water,  she  quenched  the  glimmering  sparks. 

When  she  saw  him  out  of  danger,  and  happily 
uninjured,  their  relation  to  each  other  was  at 
once  changed.  Lea  laughed  at  him,  and  exhi- 
bited him  to  the  other  boys  with  his  singed  hair 
and  half-burnt  coat,  saying,  "There,  see  now 
your  high  and  mighty  Deliverer !" 

The  boys  laughed  and  made  game  of  him. 
He  burst  into  tears  of  passion.  "  Thou  blasphe- 
mous wretch!"  he  screamed  out — "thou  Goi ! 
thou  daughter  of  Seir  and  Edom !  thou  Naza- 
rene !  thou  art  viler  than  a  dog !"  And  he 
ran  off  to  complain  of  Lea  to  his  mother.  Lea 
bantered  him  as  he  ran  away,  and  the  whole 
troop  of  boys  followed,  mocking  him  till  he 
reached  the  house. 


CHAPTER   II. 

Lea  had  taken  up  the  babe  which  had  been 
waked  by  the  uproar,  and  as  she  tried  to  quiet 
it,  rambled  with  the  smaller  children  along  the 
delightful  shore. 

Foreboding  well  what  awaited  her  at  home, 
she  still  lingered  by  the  sea-side,  and  turning  to 
the  north  looked  across  the  intervening  water  to- 
wards her  dear  native  town.  She  began  to  weep 
bitterly. 

A  boat  obstructed  the  view.  Just  then  the 
fisherman  drew  up  a  net  full  of  fishes.  "  Alas  !" 
cried  she,  sobbing,  "  so  have  I  also  been  taken  in 
a  net  out  of  the  free,  cool  sea  of  my  mother's 
house,  and  lie  gasping  for  breath  upon  the  shore. 
Oh,  my  mother,  my  mother  !  couldst  thou  know 
how  they  afflict  thy  poor  child !  Mother,  dear 
mother  !  hear  there  in  thy  grave  thy  wretched 
orphan  child !  0,  mother !  it  is  a  fearful  lot  to 
be  a  forsaken  orphan !  Didst  thou  not  then 
know,  that  for  such  a  child  there  is  no  mother's 
heart  upon  the  whole  wide  earth  !  that  to  no  one 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN-  17 

can  she  tell  her  grief,  for  she  has  a  mother  no 
more  !  O  how  dreadful  to  live  friendless  among 
hard-hearted  men !" 

She  cast  her  eyes  upon  the  waves,  which  were 
suddenly  roughened  by  the  wind.  It  brought  to 
her  mind  the  sixty-ninth  psalm,  and  she  sung  : 

"Save  me,  0  God, 

For  the  waters  have  come  in  unto  my  soul ! 

I  plunged  in  bottomless  mire  where  there  is  no  footing, 

I  sunk  in  deep  waters,  and  the  floods  overflowed  me." 

In  the  midst  of  her  distress  she  took  notice  that 
her  sighs  interrupted  and  marred  her  singing,  and 
she  added ; 

"  I  am  weary  with  my  crying  ;  my  throat  is  dried  : 

My  eyes  fail  with  waiting  for  my  God. 

More  than  the  hairs  of  my  head 

Are  they  who  groundlessly  hate  me  ; 

Mighty  are  they  that  would  destroy  me, — 

My  enemies  without  a  cause." 

"Alas!"  added  she,  "  all  in  the  house,  from 
the  eldest  to  the  youngest,  are  my  enemies — thou 
excepted,  dear  child,  whom  I  carry  in  my  arms  !" 
She  pressed  the  little  one  more  closely,  and  it 
smiled  upon  her.  "  This  has  still  love  for  me," 
said  she,  "  because  I  love  it.  How  gladly  would 
I  love  them  too,  would  they  but  let  me   love 


18  LEA,   OR    THE 

them  !     And  yet  they  are  my  nearest  kindred. 
But, 

« I  am  become  a  stranger  to  my  brethren, 
An  alien  to  my  mother's  children !' 

"  Yet  what  avails  it  to  weep  ?"  interrupted 
she :  and  she  sung  on : 

"  '  When  I  wept  and  fasted, 

That  was  made  my  reproach ; 

And  when  I  clothed  m)Tself  with  sackcloth, 

I  became  their  by- word.' 

"  I  will  do  so  no  more.  They  call  me  taunt- 
ingly a  Nazarene.  I  know  not  these  people ; 
but  they  may  perhaps  be  better  than  those  who 
dwell  in  the  palaces  of  Tiberias.  I  will  give 
their  hot  zeal  enough  to  do.  No  Nazarene 
could  keep  them  so  busy  as  I  will" 

"  O  fye  !" — thus  chided  she  herself,- — "  but 
this  is  wicked !  I  will  rather  demean  myself 
according  to  the  Psalm  : 

*  But  as  for  me,  my  prayer  is  unto  thee,  0  Jehovah  ; 
Let  it  be  acceptable  to  thee,  O  God, 
According  to  thy  great  kindness ; 
According  to  thy  faithfulness  in  helping,  hear  me  ! 
Denver  me  out  of  the  mire,  and  let  me  not  sink : 
Let  me  be  delivered  from  those  that  hate  me,  out  of  the 
deep  waters !' " 


BAPTISM   IN   JORDAN,  19 

"  If  I  were  only  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea," 
she  continued,  "  there  by  Gadara,  and  could  I 
hide  myself  in  one  of  the  caves  upon  the  eastern 
shore !  Many  such  are  there,  and  one  alone  has 
contained  four  thousand  poor  wretches,  who 
sought  refuge  in  it.  But  here  I  stand.  There 
towers  Tiberias,  my  home  of  misery  !  On  the 
graves  of  the  dead,  as  I  have  been  told,  in  defi- 
ance of  the  law,  that  wicked  Herod  Antipas 
caused  this  city  to  be  built,  and  named  it  in 
honor  of  a  Roman  Emperor.  I  feel  it, — a  curse 
rests  upon  the  place !  One  cottage  in  kindly, 
beautiful,  beloved  Capernaum,  is  a  thousand 
times  dearer  to  me  than  the  palace  in  which  I 
am  here  a  prisoner  !" 

She  recovered  herself  and  sang  : 

"  Hear  me,  Jehovah,  for  kind  and  gracious  art  thou ; 
According  to  thy  great  compassion  look  upon  me, 
And  hide  not  thy  face  from  thy  servant. " 

"  See  !"  mused  she  upon  the  strain,  "  this  is 
a  Psalm  in  which  the  Messiah  speaks,  and  I 
apply  his  words  to  myself ;  I  little  thought  when 
my  father  thus  explained  it  to  me  of  the  Messiah, 
that  a  time  would  ever  come  when  I  should  apply 
it  to  myself.  But  quite  another  Messiah  is  this 
from  him  who  burnt  his  coat  to-day,"  said  she 
smiling. 


20  LEA,   OR    THE 

At  this  recollection  her  lively  feelings  turned 
lightly  to  more  cheerful  fancies.  The  vapor 
was  ascending  from  the  warm  baths  below  Tibe* 
rias.  As  she  looked  at  it,  "  Come  now,  good 
Lea,"  said  she,  "  be  thou  too  a  warm  fountain, 
full  of  pleasantness  and  softness,  and  let  thy 
praise  ascend  to  Jehovah ! 

1  As  for  me,  who  am  sorrowful  and  afflicted, 

Thy  help,  O  God,  shall  set  me  in  safety. 

Then  will  I  praise  the  name  of  God  in  song, 

I  will  magnify  Him  in  songs  of  praise. 

This  is  more  acceptable  to  Jehovah  than  oxen 

With  horns  and  hoofs. — 

Let  heaven  and  earth  praise  thee, 

The  seas  and  all  that  move  therein !' " 

With  a  gay  heart  she  surveyed  the  Paradise 
around  her.  Her  sinoino;  had  in  a  moment 
restored  to  her  all  her  natural  serenity.  Though 
it  was  a  necessity  of  her  nature,  whatever  she 
felt  immediately  to  express  in  words  ;  and  though 
on  this  account  she  possessed  an  uncommon 
power  over  language,  yet  on  the  other  hand  the 
words  themselves,  the  tone,  and  above  all  song, 
exercised  an  irresistible  power  over  her.  The 
mere  act  of  singing  sufficed  to  restore  her  to 
tranquillity  of  spirit.  So  it  was  with  much  in 
her  life,  as  she  was  obliged  to  play  by  turns  the 
part  of  mistress  and  of  servant, 


"  BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  2 1 

What  her  singing  had  begun  was  completed 
by  the  view  of  that  incomparable  sea-valley  in 
which  some  have  fancied  that  they  found  the 
lost  Eden, — so  beautiful  it  was  !  She  marked 
the  Jordan,  that  ancient  holy  stream,  as  it  issued 
from  the  region  where  the  snowy  summit  of 
Lebanon  and  the  glaciers  of  Hermon  lift  their 
venerable  heads  over  the  landscape,  and  pursued 
its  way  through  the  basin  of  the  Galilean  sea, 
marking  by  its  golden  current  its  course  through 
the  clear  crystal  waters.  "Already  has  he," 
said  she,  "  after  gushing  from  his  mountain  veins, 
submitted  to  a  dark  and  obscure  passage  beneath 
the  ground ;  but  victoriously  has  he  again  risen 
to  the  light  in  the  sea  of  Merom,  and  now  rolls 
through  the  midst  of  the  Holy  Land,  until  at 
Jericho, — but  no,  I  will  not  utter  it !  So  be  it 
not  to  me  or  to  my  people  !  But  here  behind, 
what  a  splendor  and  power  in  that  mountain 
region  descending  in  terraces  from  Tabor  its 
head, — the  high  plain  of  Eschaelon  and  the  hills 
of  Cana  the  lower  steps  !  And  there  before  me, 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  sea,  the  majestic 
features  of  the  last  swells  of  Anti-Lebanon ! 
What  a  wonderful,  giant-like  embrace  of  the 
lovely  sea  and  its  glassy  floods  !  0  happy,  that 
I  was   born  in   this    valley  !     Hail,    ray  noble 


22  LEA,   OR    THE     BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN. 

Capernaum !  and  ye  too  on  that  distant  shore, 
Chorazin,  Magdala,  Gamala,  Dalmanutha,  and 
Gadara,  to  which  my  mother  early  directed  my 
childish  gaze ;  ye  on  my  native  side,  Bethsaida, 
Emmaus,  and  Tarichea  ;  even  thee  magnificent, 
but  to  me  unkind  Tiberias, — I  bid  you  hail ! 
Hail  to  ye  all !  To  you,  too,  dark  nut-forests  in 
the  gorges  of  the  mountains !  To  you,  ye  open 
palm  groves,  with  your  heaven-high  roof  work, 
ye  vine-clad  hills,  yielding  ten  months  in  the 
year  your  ripened  clusters  !  ye  fruit-gardens,  ye 
groves  of  olive,  citron  and  pomegranate  trees ; — 
ye  murmuring  fountains,  and  ye  whispering 
breezes  of  the  beautiful  and  cool  sea  shore  !  O 
this  is, — yes,  it  is  still  the  land  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey,  the  glorious  land  above  all  lands  ! 
Ah,  why  did  Jehovah  command  His  temple  to  be 
built  on  the  barren  mountains  of  Judah,  and  not 

here  by  the  sea  of  Gennesareth ! But  I  am 

only  a  foolish  child,  and  they  do  well  to  be  some- 
what strict  with  me,  since  I  even  find  fault  in 
my  waywardness  with  the  works  and  will  of 
Jehovah." 

Having  thus  spoken,  she  sung  a  few  more 
strains  from  the  Psalms  respecting  the  Holy  Land, 
and  it  was  not  till  the  infant  became  restless  that 
she  left  the  shore  and  returned  home. 


CHAPTER  'ill. 

She  had  not  been  mistaken  as  to  the  treat- 
ment she  would  receive  on  reaching  the  house. 
The  mother  of  the  enraged  boy  met  her  in  the 
outer  court,  while  mother  and  son  joined  in 
heaping  abuse  upon  the  poor  maiden.  She  made 
no  reply.  But  if  she  was  silent,  it  was  sullenness ; 
if  she  spoke^  it  was  contradiction. 

"  Confess  now,"  cried  the  woman,  "  thou  art 
a  Nazarene  !  How  is  it  ?  It  was  in  Capernaum 
that  your  Messiah  found  the  readiest  welcome ; 
in  his  native  city,  Nazareth,  they  would  have 
hurled  him  down  from  the  mountain ;  but  at  your 
houses  he  was  a  welcome  guest,  and  was  per- 
mitted to  teach  in  the  schools ;  so  that  he  called 
the  place  his  own  city,  and  his  oldest  disciple 
left  Bethsaida  and  bought  a  house  in  Capernaum. 
Is  it  not  so  ?  Come,  you'll  keep  up  the  character 
of  your  city !  Speak  out  now !  it's  your  best 
way !  You  are  a  Nazarene.  Do  you  think  we 
were  deaf,  that  we  could  not  hear  you  jeering 
about  Tiberias,  where  your  Jesus  could  not  come, 


24  LEA,    OR    THE 

because  Antipas,  who  put  John  his  forerunner  to 
death,  there  held  his  court  ?  And  hence  you've 
beat  and  mocked  my  poor  boy  because  he  repre- 
sented the  Messiah !" 

"  I  did  not  beat  him,"  said  Lea,  at  last  break- 
ing silence.  "  And  as  for  mocking,  he  deserved 
it  as  a  false  Messiah,  who,"  added  she  laughing, 
"  burnt  his  coat  in  the  fires  round  Jerusalem." 

"  Do  you  hear  that  ?  Hear  you  that !"  cried 
the  woman  to  the  servants  who  were  flocking 
around. 

"  Aye,"  said  Lea,  a  little  frowardly,  "  and  so 
may  it  fare  with  every  pretender  who  plays  the 
Messiah !" 

"Do  you  hear?  oh,  horrible!"  cried  the 
whole  train.  The  boy  struck  her,  because  he 
was  sure  of  victory :  his  mother,  who  had  no 
disposition  to  listen  to  Lea's  complaints,  think- 
ing she  could  best  justify  her  spoiled  child  by 
joining  in  his  abuse  of  the  poor  defenceless 
maiden.  She  menaced  her,  moreover,  with  the 
return  of  her  father-in-law,  who  had  been  on  a 
journey  to  Jerusalem,  and  was  daily  expected 
back. 

Meanwhile  she  was  sent,  with  the  child  of 
three  years  in  charge,  to  the  fountain  beneath 
the  palm,  trees  in  the  central  court.     She  then 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  25 

went  up  with  the  child  into  one  of  the  fragrant 
arbors,  and  tended  the  flowers.  While  she  was 
thus  engaged,  the  child  called  upon  her  to  sing. 
"  That  will  I  do  willingly,"  said  Lea,  "  and  a 
beautiful  little  song  too  !  When  you  grow  up, 
you  will  see  that  this  is  our  way — the  way  I  and 
my  cousins  do — and  you  must  do  so  too."  She 
began : 

"  Behold  how  lovely  and  pleasant  it  is 
When  brethren  dwell  in  union  ! 
It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head, 
Flowing  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard, 
That  flowed  down  to  the  border  of  his  garments : 
Like  the  dew  of  Hermon,  that  descends  on  the  moun- 
tains of  Zion, 
For  there  Jehovah  commanded  the  blessing, 
Even  life  for  evermore  !" 

As  she  pointed  the  children,  while  she  sung, 
to  the  snowy  top  of  Hermon,  which  could  be 
seen  from  the  roof,  she  already  repented  of  her 
bitter  jest,  and  by  the  time  she  had  finished  the 
psalm,  blows,  abuse,  lies,  and  suspicions  were 
all  forgotten.  With  a  step  light  as  if  she  trod 
on  air,  she  returned  with  the  children  to  the 
fountain,  laid  herself  down  with  them  upon  the 
turf,  and  seemed,  among  the  playful  children,  to 
be  the  gayest  child  of  them  all. 


26  LEA,    OR    THE 

Suddenly  she  heard  the  house  door  shut  with 
great  violence,  and  soon  after  an  unsteady  step 
ascending  through  the  fore-court.  The  elder 
children  sprung  up,  and,  as  a  very  infirm  old 
man  of  eighty  years  came  in  sight,  shouted, 
u  Grandfather  !  it  is  grandfather !"  They  ran 
up  to  him ;  one  seized  his  hand,  the  rest  clasped 
his  knees,  while  the  youngest  stretched  out  to 
him  its  little  hands. 

Lea  was  moved  to  tears  by  the  sight,  and  she 
thought  to  herself  that  this  would,  for  once,  give 
a  cheerful  tone  to  the  heart  of  the  sorrowful  old 
man. 

But  he  thrust  the  little  ones  aside,  as  he 
pushed  roughly  on,  without  noting  that  he  had 
almost  crushed  the  foot  of  one  of  his  grandsons, 
or  deigning  to  greet  Lea,  or  his  daughter-in-law, 
who  came  to  meet  him.  With  impatient,  though 
feeble  steps,  he  tottered  to  the  divan  in  the  middle 
court.  It  was  plain  that  something  unusual 
must  have  befallen  him.  Instead  of  reclining, 
as  usual,  he  sat  upright,  and  wTith  both  hands 
held  his  staff  before  him  firmly  set  upon  the 
floor.  He  gazed  around  with  an  agitated  look. 
The  inmates  of  the  house  gathered  round  him, 
but  he  greeted  no  one.  At  last  his  son  ap- 
proached, and  he  burst  forth — 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  27 

"  Spit  at  it !  spit  at  the  name  of  iElia  Capi- 
tolina  !  Cursed  be  he  who  built  it,  and  blessed 
be  he  who  shall  destroy  it !  JTis  not  Jerusalem  ! 
O,  wo  is  me,  wo  is  me,  that  I  have  seen  the 
abomination !" 

"  Tell  us,  then,  my  father,  what  you  have 
seen,"  said  the  son. 

"  Horrible  things  have  I  seen  !  0,  that  mine 
eyes  had  never  seen  them !"  exclaimed  the  old 
man. 

"  Well,  let  us  hear !" 

"  I  have  been  to  the  city  once  called  the  Holy ; 
it  is  now  called  iElia  Capitolinn,  after  its  builder, 
the  emperor  iElias  Adrianus,  may  God  requite 
him  !  Upon  Zion,  where  once  stood  the  tower 
of  David,  have  I  seen  brambles  !  Upon  Moriah, 
the  place  of  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  of  all  the 
other  sacrifices,  the  plowshare  was  driven  through 
the  field  !  O,  wo  is  me  !  in  the  city  called  after 
Jehovah  stood  a  temple  of  the  Olympian  Jupiter ! 
Wo  is  me,  wo  is  me,  that  I  have  lived  to  see 
it !  And  at  this  temple  must  the  children  of 
Israel  pay  the  half  shekel,  which  Jehovah  com- 
manded for  the  place  where  his  honor  dwells. 
Yet  more  !  yet  more  ! " 

"  I  stop  my  ears  !"  exclaimed  the  son. 

"  Yea,  stop  them  !"  cried  the  old  man  ;  "  hor~ 


28  LEA,    OR    THE    BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN, 

rible  is  it  to  tell,  and  horrible  to  hear !  I  will 
not  tell  it." 

"  Speak  !  speak  on  1"  cried  the  rest. 

"  I  will,"  said  the  old  man  ;  '-'  yet  stop  your 

ears  while  I  say  it ! Daughter,  the  son  thou 

bearest  thy  husband  thou  may'st  not  bring  for 
circumcision !" 

"  How  !  how  is  that  ?"  cried  all  at  once,  with 
looks  of  dismay. 

"  No  !"  replied  he,  with  quiet  sternness,  while 
he  assumed  the  air  of  a  sovereign,  "  no,  I  tell 
you,  for  it  is  forbidden.  The  Emperor,  the 
builder  of  iElia  Capitolina,  has  forbidden  it." 

"  Let  him  be  accursed  !"  exclaimed  one  after 
another. 

The  old  man  fell  back,  exhausted  and  sense- 
less, on  the  divan. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

The  old  man  at  length  revived,  and  the  even- 
ing meal  was  served. 

The  blessing  of  the  bread  and  wine,  as  also 
the  reciting  of  the  twenty-third  Psalm,  he  now 
for  the  first  time  left  to  his  son.  During  the 
meal,  the  precept  of  the  oral  law  to  regard  the 
table  as  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  was,  in  form  at 
least,  strictly  observed.  Not  a  word  was  spok- 
en, but  whether  through  reverence,  or  fear,  or 
embarrassment,  was  not  certain.  Even  the 
mother  of  the  boy,  full  as  she  was  of  her  mali- 
cious slanders  against  Lea,  did  not  venture  to 
bring  them  forward. 

All  kept  silence,  until  thanks  were  given  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  meal.  This  act  of  devo- 
tion was  not  merely  an  expression  of  thanks  to 
the  Lord  our  God,  for  having  satisfied  those  pre- 
sent with  food  and  drink  :  they  called  to  remem- 
brance, likewise,  how  He  had  led  their  fathers 
out  of  Egypt,  and  had  brought  them  into  the 
good  land ;  how  He  had  established  His  cove- 


30  LEA,    OR    THE 

nant  with  them,  and  given  them  the  Law ;  and 
how  He  had  promised  that  He  would  be  their 
shield  for  ever.  Upon  this  was  grounded  the 
petition  that  Jehovah  would  have  pity  upon 
Jerusalem ;  that  He  would,  even  in  their  days, 
re-establish  the  temple  and  the  kingdom  of 
David ;  and  that  He  would  send  Elias,  as  also 
the  Messiah,  to  bring  an  end  to  their  captivity  i  n 
trie  Holy  Land. 

"Amen!"  was  said  aloud  by  all  present  at 
the  table.  But  the  old  man's  voice  was  loudest 
of  all,  and  he  added,  "  Yes,  that  may  Jehovah  in 
His  mercy  grant,  that  so  I,  the  son  of  bondage 
and  of  misery,  who  in  youth  saw  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  may  in  my  age  behold  the  up- 
building thereof !  God  be  praised  !  the  seventy 
years  of  this  captivity  are  near  their  end.  I  am 
now  eighty  and  one  years  old ;  seventeen  was  I 
when  the  temple  was  burnt ;  there  are  now 
wanting,  therefore,  but  six  years  to  complete  the 
reckoning.  So  soon  JElia  Capitolina,  the  city 
of  the  devil,  may  fall,  and  Jerusalem,  the  city  of 
God,  be  built !" 

"  Jehovah  grant  it !"  said  the  others. 

"  Children,  I  should  be  young  again,  could  I 
live  to  see  that  day  !  I  would  crawl  to  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  that  I  might  see  this  iElia  burn 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  31 

as  I  have  seen  the  holy  city  burn.  Horrible  was 
that  sight ! — that  shall  I  never  forget  so  long  as 
I  have  life  !  That  should  ye,  too,  not  forget  till 
Jerusalem  is  built  again  ;  nor,  indeed,  then  ;  for 
though  we  may  not,  in  th%  new  Jerusalem,  keep 
the  ninth  day  of  the  month  Ab,  as  a  day  of 
lamentation  for  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  yet 
must  the  remembrance  of  it  never  pass  away." 

"  Tell  us  once  more  the  frightful  story,"  said 
the  grandson,  by  way  of  ingratiating  himself 
with  his  grandfather. 

He  would  have  done  it  unasked.  He  adjusted 
his  turban,  settled  himself  upon  the  divan,  and 
thus  began,  while  the  others  reclined  in  a  circle 
around  him. 

"  The  building  of  the  temple,  begun  by  Herod 
the  Great,  and  continued  eighty  years,  till  the 
reign  of  Herod  Agrippa  II.,  was  already  com- 
pleted, when  Gessius  Florus  came  as  Roman 
procurator  into  the  country.  That  was  an  evil 
man.  When  he  saw  that  the  land  was  filled 
with  robbers,  murderers,  sorcerers,  false  pro- 
phets, and  Messiahs,  he  endeavored  to  stir  up 
sedition  among  the  people,  that  they  might  not. 
be  able  to  carry  complaints  of  his  oppression  to 
Caesar.  His  plan  succeeded.  He  demanded 
seventeen  talents  from  the  sacred  treasury,  and 


32  LEA,   OR    THE 

this  was  the  spark  which  kindled  into  a  blaze 
the  long  standing  and  carefully  cherished  hatred 
of  the  Jews  against  the  Romans.  Cestius  Gallus 
advanced  with  his  army  from  Syria,  where  he  was 
Proconsul.  My  parents  were  then  residing  in 
Gamala.  I  had  gone  up  with  them  to  the  Pass- 
over, and  our  relatives  in  Lydda  had  invited  me 
to  spend  the  summer  with  them.  At  the  time 
of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  Cestius  arrived  at 
Lydda.  The  inhabitants  had  gone,  one  and  all, 
to  the  feast  at  Jerusalem.  Only  fifty  men  re- 
mained still  in  the  city,  and  on  account  of  sick- 
ness I  was  one  of  the  number.  Cestius  set  the 
city  on  fire,  and  put  the  inhabitants  to  death.  I 
escaped  only  by  the  special  providence  of  God. 
I  arrived  at  Jerusalem  almost  at  the  same  mo- 
ment with  the  army.  As  I  entered  through  the 
water  gate,  I  heard  the  trumpet  already  at  the 
gate  of  Ephraim.  A  prodigious  multitude  had 
gone  up  to  the  feast ;  and  I  have  seen  with  my 
own  eyes  that  we  can  vanquish  Romans.  Ces- 
tius fled  as  if  driven  by  the  terrors  of  Jehovah. 
We  seized  his  machines  of  war,  and  Israel  wTas 
victor. 

"  But  the  divisions  among  the  people  increased, 
and  all  who  consulted  their  own  safety  fled  from 
the  city.     My  parents  took  me  back  with  them 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  33 

to  Gamala.  Our  kindred  in  Lydda  were  all 
slain,  some  there,  and  others  at  Jerusalem.  The 
time  was  improved  in  making  fortifications. 
Now  came  Vespasian.  He  had  already  con- 
quered Galilee,  when  he  appeared  before  Gamala 
with  Herod  Agrippa.  This  effeminate  wretch 
called  upon  us  to  surrender ;  a  stone  which 
struck  him  in  the  hand  was  the  traitor's  answer. 
"  Gamala  lay  like  a  camel  upon  a  high  moun- 
tain peak,  and  its  only  entrance  was  closed  up 
by  a  trench.  The  Romans  forced  their  way  in 
by  a  breach  in  the  city  walls,  but  nearly  the 
whole  of  them  fell  by  our  hands,  and  even  Ves- 
pasian's life  was  in  great  danger.  But  being 
now  threatened  with  destruction  by  famine,  most 
of  the  citizens  fled,  and  I  myself  effected  my 
escape  through  an  aqueduct.  The  Romans, 
having  meanwhile  undermined  a  tower,  pene- 
trated into  the  city,  and  a  violent  wind  carried 
their  missiles  into  the  citadel,  which  otherwise 
they  could  not  have  reached.  They  destroyed 
the  city;  four  thousand  men  fell  by  their  hands, 
eight  thousand  threw  themselves  down  from  the 
walls,  and  two  women  were  all  that  escaped 
with  life.  My  brothers  were  among  the  slain, 
and  my  father,  in  attempting  to  follow  me  and 
4 


34  LEA,    OR    THE 

my  brother,  thy  father,  Lea,  perished  in  the 
aqueduct. 

"  I  hastened  with  my  brother  to  the  Holy  city. 
Myself  a  youth  of  seventeen  years,  I  led  the  boy 
of  ten  by  the  hand,  and  after  much  peril  and  suf- 
fering, we  reached  the  place.  Three  parties 
were  then  raging  in  the  city.  Had  Israel  not 
been  divided  against  itself,  that  frightful  doom 
had  never  burst  over  Jerusalem.  Never  did 
Gentiles  contend  more  fiercely  than  did  the  par- 
ties of  the  Zelots,  the  Idumeans,  and  the  loyal. 
The  temple  w^as  profaned,  and  at  length  the  city 
of  holiness  might  more  properly  have  been  call- 
ed a  resort  of  robbers,  a  house  of  harlots,  and  a 
den  of  murderers.  Thus  did  they  riot  who  styled 
themselves  zealots  for  the  law. 

"  Vespasian  was  proclaimed  emperor  in  Cesa- 
rea,  and  in  Alexandria  he  received  the  intelligence 
that  he  was  acknowledged  by  the  whole  empire. 
He  hastened  to  Rome,  and  committed  to  his  son 
Titus  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem. 

"  Titus  arrived  with  his  army  when  the  city 
was  crowded  with  pilgrims  come  to  the  Pass- 
over, and  formed  his  encampment  upon  the  mount 
of  Olives.  Fearful  omens  had  announced  to  us 
the  issue,  A  portentous  light  was  seen  between 
the  altar  and  the  temple      The  huge  iron  gate  of 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  35 

the  temple  opened  of  itself  at  midnight,  and 
blood-red  hosts  in  battle  array  appeared  in  the 
clouds  above  the  city.  All  this  was  verified. 
Titus  conquered,  after  some  months'  siege,  first 
the  new  city,  then  the  lower  city.  While  yet 
the  temple  and  the  upper  town  were  beleaguered, 
the  famine  rose  to  a  fearful  height.  Those  who 
had  laid  up  any  provision  were  deprived  of  it  by 
force.  The  robbers  broke  into  the  houses  of  the 
rich,  slew  old  and  young,  and  dashed  the  child- 
ren against  the  wall.  Whoever  thought  of 
flight  was  put  to  death  as  a  traitor.  People  fell 
down  dead  with  hunger  in  the  streets  ;  the  Ze- 
lots  plundered  their  corpses  and  stripped  the  last 
rag  of  clothing  from  the  bodies  of  the  dying* 
Many,  in  despair,  threw  themselves  down  from 
the  walls,  and  immense  numbers,  having  swal- 
lowed their  gold,  went  over  to  the  Romans. 
But  the  Romans  discovered  how  they  had  con- 
cealed their  treasure,  and  the  bodies  of  two  thou- 
sand deserters  were  searched  for  it  in  a  single 
night.  The  number  of  corpses  became  at  last  so 
great  that  they  could  no  longer  be  buried,  but 
were  piled  up,  one  upon  another,  in  the  empty 
houses.  The  horrors  of  the  famine  continually 
increased.  Dung,  leathern  saddles  and  girdles, 
old  straw,  formed  the  only  means  of  subsistence, 


ob  LEA,    OK    THE 

One  woman  cooked  her  only  child,  and  when  the 
soldiers,  attracted  by  the  smell  of  food,  broke  into 
the  house,  she  boldly  confessed  the  deed  and 
showed  them  the  remaining  half  of  the  child. 
Oh,  it  is  not  to  be  described  with  words,  what  we 
have  endured !  During  this  distress,  the  tower 
of  Antonia  fell ;  then  the  first,  then  the  inner 
fore  court  of  the  temple.  This  happened  on  a 
Sabbath.  A  Roman  soldier  hurled  from  the 
northern  side  a  firebrand  into  the  temple.  Titus 
opposed  in  vain  the  rush  of  his  soldiers ;  on  our 
side  arose  a  fearful  shriek, — and  soon  the  won- 
der of  the  world,  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord,  stood 
wrapt  in  flames.  The  ground  around  the  altar 
streamed  with  blood ;  the  flames  raged  in  the 
wind,  and  the  Holiest  itself  was  laid  in  ashes. 
That  was  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  month  Ab. 
The  lower  town  was  by  this  time  set  on  fire,  and 
the  conflagration  reached  at  length  the  upper 
town.  In  this  part  of  the  city  the  houses  were 
crowded  even  to  the  roof  with  the  bodies  of  those 
who  had  perished  by  famine  ;  and  yet  there  were 
so  many  still  to  be  slain  that  the  flames  were  ex- 
tinguished in  their  blood.  Everything  was  burnt 
down  and  destroyed,  and  only  three  towers  re- 
mained standing.  During  the  war,  ninety-seven 
thousand  mea^were  made  captive,  and  eleven 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  37 

hundred  thousand  were  killed  during  the  siege 
and  storming  of  the  city.  Of  the  survivors,  some 
perished  in  gladiatorial  combats  with  wild  beasts, 
others  were  carried  in  triumph  to  Rome,  or  like 
me,  found  refuge  in  flight. 

"  All  this  with  my  own  eyes  have  I  seen,  and 
with  my  body  and  my  soul  endured.  Since  then, 
Israel  lies  trampled  in  the  dust ;  even  the  temple 
of  Onias  at  Leontopolis  has  not  escaped  the  fury 
of  our  nation's  enemies.  The  abomination  of 
desolation  must  have  an  end.  But  it  seems 
meet  that  we,  old  men,  who  have  been  witnesses 
of  this  fearful  calamity,  should  commit  the  re- 
membrance of  it  to  you  our  children,  that  the 
wrongs  we  have  endured  may  ever  kindle  in  us 
anew  the  desire  of  vengeance.  Yet  even  this 
work  of  destruction  is  not  more  terrible  than  the 
profanation  which  I  have  seen  in  iElia.  Let  us 
strew  ashes  on  our  heads,  and  put  on  sackcloth  ; 
let  us  rend  our  garments,  and  pluck  out  our  hair, 
for  the  sake  of  the  daughter  of  Zion !  Cursed 
be  he  who  thirsts  not  for  vengeance." 

The  old  man  betook  himself  to  his  Aliya,  and 
each  one  retired,  thoughtful  and  silent,  to  his 
chamber. 


CHAPTER    V. 

From  this  time  the  old  man  had  frequent  and 
long  interviews  with  his  son  in  the  Aliya.  The 
assemblies  in  the  gates  of  Tiberias  became  more 
and  more  frequented  by  the  men  of  the  city.  Upon 
the  by-roads  of  the  country  there  was  great  con- 
versation, and  often  large  companies  of  men  came 
by  night  from  other  cities  to  Tiberias.  Guest- 
friends  arrived  whom  the  old  man  had  not  seen 
in  his  house  for  years,  and  often,  though  meeting 
here  from  places  widely  separated,  became  im- 
mediately acquainted  with  each  other,  and  held 
long  and  secret  conferences. 

In  this  scene  of  confusion,  the  mother  had  so 
much  to  do  that  she  thought  it  best  to  defer  her 

o 

complaint  against  Lea  to  a  more  favorable  time* 
Meanwhile  she  continued  to  oppress  the  poor 
girl  with  heavy  tasks  and  unkind  treatment,  and 
Lea  .  still  afflicted  and  comforted  herself  as 
before. 

One  day  there  arrived  some  men  from  Sepho- 
ris,*  the  ancient  city  of  Galilee,  who  were  wel- 
*  See  Appendix,  note  B. 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  39 

corned  with  unusual  respect  and  joy.  They 
were  more  communicative  than  the  former  visi- 
tors and  allowed  the  whole  family  to  take  part 
in  their  conversation. 

As  usual,  the  old  man  began  the  conversation 
with  lamentations  respecting  iElia  Capitolina, 
and  with  the  inquiry  what  would  be  the  conse- 
quence of  the  prohibition  to  circumcise. 

"  But  have  you  heard,"  said  one  of  the  men 
from  Sephoris,  "  that  Adrian  is  gone  from  Athens 
to  Rome  1  We  have  now  space  and  time  to 
take  breath." 

The  other  suggested  that  when  Gideon  was 
Judge  in  Israel,  and  the  people  were  oppressed 
by  the  Midianites,  they  had  prepared  for  them- 
selves dwellings  and  places  of  security  in  the 
clefts  and  caves  of  the  mountains.  "  The  good 
land,"  said  he,  "  is  not  without  design  a  land  of 
caves.  Jehovah  has  thus  prepared  it  for  us, 
that  in  the  time  of  need  we  may  again  become  as 
the  children  of  Anak.  Praised  be  the  sons  of 
Anak  !" 

"  But  where  shall  we  find  weapons  ?"  asked 
the  son  of  the  house. 

"  We  are  required,"  said  the  former  speaker, 
"  to  forge  weapons  for  the  Romans.  What  does 
not  succeed  and  is  rejected  by  them,  we  shall 
make  useful  to  ourselves." 


40  LEA,    OR    THE 

"  Ah  !"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  "  that  these 
dim  eyes,  which  have  seen  so  much  misery,  might 
behold  the  Anointed  of  God,  before  they  are  clos- 
ed in  death !" 

"  Do  not  the  sins  of  Israel  delay  his  coming  V 
asked  the  son. 

"  Silence,  thou  fool !"  exclaimed  the  old  man, 
vehemently.  "  I  was  at  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem. The  Zelots,  by  their  abominations  and 
sins,  are  the  real  authors  of  our  shame  and  misery. 
He  who  has  known  these,  knows  that  now  Israel 
is  a  holy  nation,  wThose  sins  no  longer  delay  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah." 

"  Have  patience  !"  said  one  of  the  visitors. 
"  Since  Rabbi  Akiba  has  been  President  of  the 
Sanhedrim  at  Jamnia,  light  and  truth  have  spread 
abroad  in  Israel.  Who  knows — the  Messiah 
may  even  now  be  walking  unknown  among 
his  people ;  yea,  and  Elias  also  !" 

"  Then  beware  lest  you  take  a  false  Messiah 
for  the  true  one !"  interposed  the  matron  with  a 
spiteful  glance  at  Lea.  "  What  think'st  thou, 
Lea,  is  there  not  danger  of  it  ?" 

The  poor  maiden  blushed  in  the  presence  of 
the  men. 

"  She  ?"  cried  the  old  man  hastily,  "  what  of 
her?" 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  41 

The  mother  beckoned  to  her  boy.  He  stept 
pertly  forward  and  told  the  whole  story  of  his 
game,  and  the  jeers  of  Lea.  He  said  he  had  fear- 
ed to  disturb  his  grandfather  in  his  important 
business,  but  now,  at  his  command,  he  would  no 
longer  conceal  from  him  that  Lea  was  a  daughter 
of  Seir,  and  one  of  the  Nazarenes. 

The  men  looked  inquiringly  at  her.  The 
mother  confirmed  all  that  her  son  had  said. 

"  Have  I  then  nourished  a  snake  in  my  bo- 
som V9  cried  the  old  man  in  a  storm  of  passion. 
"  Answer  for  thyself,  Lea  !" 

"  I  only  said,"  replied  she  timidly, "  that  a  Mes- 
siah as  this  lad  played  him,  cannot  be  the  true 
one." 

"  Thou  see'st,  dear  father,"  said  the  matron, 
"  that  she  is  of  Capernaum,  where  they  are  fa- 
vorably inclined  to  Jesus,  because  he  loved  their 
city." 

"  The  Nazarenes  are  the  worst  enemies  of  the 
glory  of  Israel,"  said  one  of  the  men  of  Sephoris. 
"  They  are  so  for  this,  if  for  no  other  reason,  that 
they  betray  the  rights  of  Israel  to  the  Gentiles. 
But  more  than  this,  they  make  the  hope  of  Israel 
a  laughing-stock  among  the  Romans,  by  giving 
out  for  the  Messiah  a  man  who  has  been  cruci- 

4* 


42  LEA,    OR    THE    BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN. 

fied.     And  worse  than  all,  pretending  to  be  Jews, 
they  yet  eat  human  flesh  in  their  assemblies.'5* 

Lea  shuddered,  and  exclaimed  with  an  expres- 
sion of  abhorrence,  "  I  am  no  Nazarene,  but  a 
daughter  of  Israel !" 

This  occasioned  a  laugh  in  which  Lea  joined. 
The  woman  would  again  gladly  have  given  the 
conversation  a  serious  turn  against  Lea  ;  but  the 
visitors,  who  had  weightier  matters  in  hand,  said, 
"Let  her  alone!" 

*  See  Appendix,  note  C. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

"  Wonder  !  O  wonder !  "  the  men  of  Sephoris 
were  heard  to  cry,  some  days  after  this.  They 
came  down  from  the  Aliya  calling  even  from  the 
roof  to  those  in  the  courts  and  the  Armon  below, 
"  O  wonder  !  wonder  !  " 

In  company  with  a  messenger  who  had  just 
arrived  from  Jamnia,  they  descended  into  the 
middle  court.  Here  the  whole  family  had  mean- 
while assembled;  the  old  man  in  the  midst  of 
them,  with  trembling  knees  and  mouth  wide 
open,  foreboding  evil. 

"  What  is  it  then  V9  cried  one  to  the  men  ot 
Sephoris. 

"  What  is  it?  "  they  replied.  "  There  stands 
the  messenger  !  Good  news  !  Glorious  news  !" 

"  Praised  be  Jehovah ! "  said  the  old  man.  "  I 
thought  surely  some  new  misfortune  had  befallen 
Israel." 

"  Well,  speak  now,  what  is  it  V9  said  the  mis- 
tress of  the  house. 

"0  wonder!"  exclaimed  the  men.  "The 
Messiah  is  come  !  here  stands  the  messenger  ! " 


44  LEA,    OR    THE 

"  The  Messiah !"  they  all  cried  out. 

The  old  man  sprang  like  a  youth  towards  his 
guests  and  embraced  them,  then  to  the  messen- 
ger and  embraced  him,  crying,  "  Now  will  I 
cheerfully  die,  may  I  with  my  eyes  but  behold 
the  Messiah !" 

"  0  wonder  !  wonder  !"  cried  .all  the  inmates 
of  the  house. 

"  Sound  the  trumpets  !  light  up  beacons  on 
the  mountains  !"  said  the  men  of  Sephoris;  "  send 
messengers  abroad  !  Usher  in  the  New  Year  with 
the  blast  of  the  trumpet,  for  a  New  Year  begins 
this  day !" 

Each  one  seemed  beside  himself  at  the  news. 
They  looked  at  each  other  and  could  say  no 
more.     The  old  man  began  to  weep. 

"But  you  do  not  so  much  as  know  where  he 
is !  or  even  his  name,  or  the  manner  of  his  com- 
ing !"  said  the  messenger. 

"  Oh,  if  he  is  only  come  !"  said  the  old  man. 
"  That  is  the  main  point.  The  rest  will  take 
care  of  itself.     Yet  say  on,  where  is  he  V 

"  This  messenger,"  said  one  of  the  men,  "has 
hurried  hither  from  Jamnia,  where  the  Messiah 
has  appeared.     He  has  seen  him  ! :j 

"  In  Jamnia,  where  the   Sanhedrim  is !     Then 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  45 

he  has  shown  himself  to  the  great  council  of  the 
nation  V  asked  the  old  man. 

"That  has  he.  Boldly  he  entered  the  Sanhe- 
drim, and  turned  not  aside  for  him  who  has  the 
might  and  the  light  in  Israel !" 

"And  what  said  the  President  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim ?  What  said  the  most  worthy  Rabbi  Aki- 
ba?" 

"  What  should  he  say  1  Into  the  assembled 
council  the  Messiah  entered,  and  placed  himself 
before  the  President.  Then  rose  up  Rabbi  Aki- 
ba  and  solemnly  proclaimed,  c  This  is  the  king 
Messiah  !  This  is  the  star  out  of  Judah  !'  " 

"  The  star  out  of  Judah  !  "  echoed  the  old  man. 

"  Barchocheba, — son  of  the  stars, — for  so  he 
styles  himself,  is  the  name  of  the  Messiah.  And 
Rabbi  A.kiba,  who  knows  the  law,  and  is  the 
forerunner  of  the  Messiah,  at  once  perceived  that 
in  him  the  prophecy  of  Balaam  is  fulfilled  : 
'There  shall  arise  a  star  out  of  Judah,  and  a 
sceptre  come  forth  from  Israel,  and  shall  dash  in 
pieces  the  princes  of  Moab,  and  destroy  all  the 
children  of  Seth.  Edom  shall  be  a  possession, 
and  Seir  shall  be  overthrown  by  its  enemies ;  but 
Israel  shall  have  the  victory.  Out  of  Jacob  shall 
come  the  ruler,  and  shall  destroy  that  which  re- 
mains of  the  cities,'     This  Akiba  called  to  re- 


46  LEA,    OR    THE 

membrance,  and  when  he  saw  the  fulfilment,  he 
said,  '  This  is  the  star  out  of  Judah  !5  " 

"  Yes,  Barchocheba  is  his  name,  and  he  is  the 
promised  Messiah,  and  Rabbi  Akiba  is  his  fore- 
runner, is  the  prophet  Elijah  ! "  said  the  old  man. 

"  Yes,  it  is  he !  it  is  the  Messiah !"  cried  all. 

The  old  man  laid  his  hand  upon  his  grandson, 
and  blessed  him  with  many  tears.  The  servant 
men  shouted  in  the  courts,  and  the  handmaids 
were  frantic  with  joy. 

The  messenger  hastened  from  the  house,  the 
men  of  Sephoris,  and  the  old  man,  following  him. 
To  all  whom  they  met  in  the  streets  they  pro- 
claimed the  joyful  message.  In  a  few  minutes 
the  gates  of  Tiberias  wTere  thronged  with  old  and 
young.  Over  and  over,  must  the  messenger  re- 
late the  entrance  into  the  Sanhedrim.  So  soon 
as  one  caught  it  from  his  lips,  he  ran  in  haste  to 
impart  the  tidings  to  his  family  and  distant 
friends.  Everywhere  were  seen  in  the  streets 
men  weeping  for  joy  :  the  aged  uttering  blessings, 
youths  leaping  and  shouting,  and  maidens  uniting 
in  song.  If  a  Gentile  showed  himself,  they  in- 
sulted him.  If  they  saw  a  Christian,  their  insolent 
joy  broke  out  in  fearful  threatenings.  The  young 
men  consulted  together  respecting  a  march  in 
arms  to  Jarania  on  the  following  morning,  and 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  47 

only  the  fear  of  the  Roman  government  here  and 
there  repressed  the  extravagant  outburst  of  joy. 

As  once  at  the  feast  in  Jerusalem,  so  now  in 
Tiberias,  joy  reigned  among  the  children  of  Israel. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Lea  was  hurried  away  with  the  general  enthu- 
siasm. The  appearance  in  the  Sanhedrim  of  one 
claiming  to  he  the  Messiah,  filled  her  with  joy, 
and  she  became  the  gayest  of  the  rejoicing  house- 
hold. 

Her  joy  effaced  from  the  mind  of  her  uncle 
every  trace  of  suspicion  that  she  was  a  Nazarene* 
Even  her  mistress  was  now  convinced  ;  but  it  only 
made  her  the  more  sorry  that  she  must  give  up 
her  plan  of  revenge :  for  in  the  midst  of  her  joy 
it  was  a  bitter  thought  that  Lea  should  have  part 
in  the  salvation  of  the  Messiah. 

The  old  man,  who,  as  the  custom  was  in  Israel, 
still  remained  master  of  the  family,  had  com- 
manded a  sumptuous  meal  to  be  made  ready  for 
the  evening,  that  this  day  of  gladness  might  be 
duly  celebrated.  Whilst  the  matron  was  busy 
with  Lea  in  the  kitchen  of  the  Armon,  she  could 
not  refrain  from  tormenting  the  poor  orphan.  She 
well  knew  how  to  drive  out  with  her  bitter  taunts 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  49 

all  joy  from  Lea's  bosom,  and  to  provoke  her  re- 
sentment anew.  Thus  irritated,  Lea  threw  out, 
unconscious  to  herself  how  she  came  to  do  it, 
doubts  as  to  the  correctness  of  the  messenger's 
account ;  and  when  the  matron,  glad  to  have 
provoked  her  to  irritation,  defended  his  integrity 
with  much  warmth,  Lea  went  still  farther.  This, 
too,  was  less  from  reflection  than  from  a  disposi- 
tion to  display  her  own  shrewdness,  and  to  keep 
up  the  part,  at  first  forced  upon  her,  of  a  friend  of 
the  Christians.  In  her  opinion,  even  if  the  mes- 
senger had  made  a  true  report,  and  Barchocheba 
had  actually  given  himself  out  for  the  Messiah,  it 
did  not  follow  that  he  was  so  in  truth.  At  any 
rate,  the  true  Messiah  would  not  come  in  pomp 
and  splendor,  but,  as  Isaiah  predicted,  in  sick- 
ness and  sorrow ;  for  he  would  be  the  friend  of 
the  miserable  and  the  avenger  of  the  oppressed. 
Her  mistress  exulted  in  the  new  turn  Lea's  feelings 
had  taken,  and  hoped  that  very  day  to  carry  her 
plan  into  effect. 

The  festive  meal  had  now  been  served  in  the 
great  hall,  and  a  conversation  was  about  to  com- 
mence with  the  Levites  of  the  place,  who  were 
present  as  invited  guests.  But  the  old  man,  at 
the  request  of  his  daughter-in-law,  gave  permission 
to  the   whole   household,  women,  children    and 


50  LEA,    OR    THE 

servants, — for  to  them  also,  as  well  as  to  the  men, 
this  great  feast-day  was  a  day  of  joy  in  Israel, — 
to  assemble  in  the  hall  and  join  in  the  cheerful 
conversation. 

After  they  had  expatiated  as  usual  on  the  glories 
of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  a  Levite  gave  an 
account  of  the  Rabbi  Akiba.  His  whole  life 
appeared  now  in  a  new  light,  since  he  had  repre- 
sented himself  as  the  subject  of  divine  prediction, 
and  as  the  returning  prophet  Elias ;  and  all  his 
actions,  and  every  incident  in  his  history  assumed 
a  higher  significance.  Forty  years  had  he  already 
presided  over  the  Sanhedrim,  and  not  a  man  of 
his  time,  the  Messiah  excepted,  united  in  himself 
so  much  wisdom  and  knowledge.  Since  the  Great 
Council  first  assembled  in  the  hall  Gazith,  then 
in  the  eastern  porch,  then  in  Jerusalem  ;  nay, 
from  the  time  of  Ezra,  had  there  been  no  one  as 
learned  in  the  law  as  Akiba  in  Jamnia.  His  two 
books  for  the  interpretation  of  the  law,  would  be 
to  the  end  of  the  world  a  light  for  the  people  of 
Israel.  The  number  of  people  who  of  late  years 
continually  surrounded  him,  amounted  to  four- 
and-twenty  thousand  ;  and  among  these  were 
found  already  such  men  as  Aquila  the  Nazarene, 
whom  he  had  converted  to  Judaism,  and  so 
thoroughly  instructed   that  he  had  made  a  new 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  51 

translation  of  the  entire  Scriptures  in  the  Greek 
language.  The  celebrated  Tryphon  was  also  his 
pupil.  The  whole  world  is  astonished  at  his 
learning,  and  it  is  said  that  he  can  assign  the 
reason  for  the  smallest  letter  of  the  law,  and  that 
even  what  was  concealed  from  Moses  is  known 
to  him.  At  all  this  there  is  so  much  the  more 
cause  to  wonder,  because  he  was  in  his  youth  a 
tender  of  sheep  and  gave  small  promise  of  such 
high  things.  But  the  daughter  of  his  master,  a  rich 
citizen  of  Jerusalem,  promised  to  marry  him  if  he 
would  leave  the  care  of  the  sheep  and  devote  him- 
self to  learning.  He  agreed  to  her  proposal,  and 
having  espoused  her  privately,  entered  the  sacred 
school :  and  thus  in  him,  as  in  no  man  before,  was 
fulfilled  the  prayer  at  circumcision,  that  he  might 
enter  into  marriage  and  into  good  works ;  for 
through  marriage  he  had  entered  into  the  best  of 
works,  viz.  the  knowledge  of  the  law. 

Exclamations  of  astonishment  burst  from  all 
present,  and  the  conversation  became  general* 
The  Messiah  would  have  been  almost  forgotten 
in  this  Elias,  had  not  the  matron  of  the  house 
displayed  a  remarkable  zeal  for  his  honor,  and 
continually  led  the  conversation  back  to  him* 
Her  eulogiums,  which  always  bordered  on  the 
extravagant,  stirred  up  Lea  to  contradiction,  as 
indeed  they  were  designed  to  do. 


02  LEA,    OR    THE 

Among  the  numerous  topics  of  question  and 
remark,  the  perplexity  of  the  Nazarenes  at  this 
time  was  not  forgotten. 

"They  seem,  however,  not  to  be  so  disheartened 
as  you  suppose,"  said  Lea,  "  if  we  may  judge  by 
what  one  of  the  servants  professes  to  have  heard 
to-day,  from  some  Nazarenes  who  were  talking 
together  in  the  street." 

"  What  said  they  V9  asked  the  old  man. 

"  He  says  they  called  Barchocheba  an  impostor, 
for  that  his  name  is  not  Bar  Chochochab,  son  of 
the  stars,  but  Bar  Chosab,  the  son  of  Chosab, — 
if  not  indeed  Bar  Chasab,  a  son  of  lies." 

"  Horrible !"  cried  all,  turning  furiously  upon 
Lea,  "  how  will  you  prove  that  V9 

"  By  his  anointing,"  answered  Lea.  "  For 
people  think  that  when  Akiba  anointed  him,  a 
divine  flame  issued  from  his  mouth,  whereas  he 
only  had  lighted  straws  between  his  teeth,  and 
puffed  out  the  flame  with  his  breath."* 

The  matron  rose  up  in  fury.  The  old  man 
stormed  with  rage.  A  confusion  ensued,  in  which 
everybody  took  it  for  granted  that  this  was  Lea's 
opinion,  and  the  story  an  invention  of  her  own. 

She  defended  herself  as  well  as  she  was  able, 
and  cried  out  again  and  again  that  this  was  not 

•  See  Appendix,  note  D. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  53 

her  opinion,  but  that  of  the  Nazarenes.  But  no 
one  listened  to  her. 

"  Stones !  bring  stones  !"  cried  the  matron, 
"  that  we  may  stone  the  blasphemer  according  to 
the  law  !  Thrust  her  out,  thrust  her  out !  that 
the  curse  rest  not  on  us  and  on  the  house  where 
she  dwells." 

"  Drive  her  forth  like  Hagar,  for  she  is  a 
mocker  like  Ishmael  1"  said  the  old  man. 

The  grandson  busied  himself  with  bringing 
stones,  and  himself  commenced  the  chastisement. 
His  mother  helped  him.  The  others,  too,  made 
threatening  gestures,  and  the  poor  orphan  was 
obliged  to  flee.  She  was  glad  when  she  saw  the 
house  and  the  city  behind  her.  Harsh  words  of 
abuse  pursued  her  till  she  reached  the  mountains. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

Lea  pursued  her  lonely  way  among  the  moun- 
tains. She  had  been  obliged  without  choice  to 
strike  into  the  first  path  that  offered  itself  as  she 
fled  out  of  the  gate  of  Tiberias.  Some  few  stones 
had  grazed  her,  and  the  shouts  of  her  pursuers 
every  moment  thickened  and  grew  louder. 

Like  a  hunted  roe  she  sprang  over  bushes  and 
tombs ;  like  a  chamois  she  climbed  the  hills  and 
precipices.  At  last  she  looked  round  and  thanked 
God  that  she  saw  no  one  in  pursuit  of  her. 

Her  first  emotion  was  joy  that  she  was  free  from 
Tiberias,  her  house  of  Egyptian  bondage.  She 
felt  that  she  had  been  brought  out  by  the  mighty 
hand  of  Jehovah,  as  once  her  fathers  were,  and 
she  could  have  raised,  like  Miriam  at  the  Red  Sea, 
a  song  of  thanksgiving.  Purer  seemed  to  her  the 
high  mountain  air,  richer  the  forest  fragrance,  more 
brilliant  the  reflected  light  which  streamed  up  to 
her  from  the  waves  of  the  sea  in  the  valley  be- 
neath. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  55 

But  as  she  wished  herself  joy  of  her  new  free- 
dom, her  eyes  fell  upon  her  own  person,  and  she 
perceived  with  dismay  that  she  was  in  her  in-door 
dress  without  any  protection  against  the  night 
cold.  The  day  declined.  The  glow  of  sunset 
faded  into  darkness.  The  roaring  of  lions,  and 
the  screams  of  night  birds  echoed  through  that 
high,  lonely  forest  tract.  Terrified  and  weeping, 
Lea  fled  wildly  on  from  cliff  to  cliff. 

She  stopped  before  a  cave  by  the  side  of  which 
gushed  a  little  fountain.  She  entered  and  found 
it  clean  and  dry.  Her  tears  ceased  to  flow.  She 
gathered  together  some  leaves,  drank  of  the  foun- 
tain, and  laid  herself  down.  But  she  could  not 
sleep,  and  lay  shrinking  with  terror  at  every  cry 
of  the  wild  beasts. 

Towards  midnight  it  became  colder.  Her  ter- 
ror continually  increased.  She  wept  and  sobbed 
till  she  could  weep  no  longer.  The  twenty-seventh 
Psalm  occurred  to  her,  and  she  sung  : 

"Jehovah  is  my  light  and  my  salvation, — whom  shall  I  fear? 
Jehovah  is  the  defence  of  my  life,  of  whom  shall  I  be 

afraid  ? 
When  the  wicked  came  upon  me  to  devour  my  flesh, 
My  enemies  and  they  that  hate  me, — they  stumbled  and 

felL 
Though  a  host  shall  rise  up  against  me,  my  heart  shall  not 

fear." 


56  LEA,    OR    THE 

She  felt  almost  tranquil,  and  with  a  strengthened 
heart  proceeded  : 

"  For  He  will  hide  me  in  His  pavilion  in  the  day  of  trouble ; 
In  the  secrecy  of  His  tent  will  he  hide  me  ; 
He  will  set  me  on  high, — upon  a  rock." 

As  she  gazed  upward  with  animation  at  the 
heavens,  thick  sown  with  stars,  she  began  again  : 

"  Hear  my  voice,  0  Jehovah,  I  cry  unto  thee  ; 
Have  mercy  also  upon  me,  and  answer  me. 
My  heart  repeats  thy  word, «  Seek  ye  my  face ;' — 
Thy  face,  Jehovah,  do  I  seek. 
Hide  not  thy  face  from  me, 
Put  not  thy  servant  away  in  anger. 
Thou  hast  been  my  help ;  leave  me  not,  nor  for- 
sake me, 
O  God  of  my  salvation  : 
For  father  and  mother  have  forsaken  me, 
But  Jehovah  will  take  me  up." 

At  the  names  of  father  and  mother,  her  heart 
dissolved  away,  her  voice  faltered  and  was 
choked  in  tears.  " Oh  my  father  !"  she  cried; 
"my  beloved  mother!  my  dear  Capernaum! 
Whither  now  shall  I  go  !  I  am  thrust  out  into 
the  wide  world!  no  way!  no  hope!"  Again 
she  bethought  herself  of  the  psalm  : 


BAPTISM   IN   JORDAN.  57 

«*  Teach  me,  O  Jehovah,  thy  way, 

And  lead  me  in  the  path  of  righteousness,  because 

of  my  foes. 
For  false  witnesses  have  risen  up  against  me, 
And  they  breathe  out  cruelty." 

A  chilly  morning  wind  swept  through  the 
trees.  As  the  first  glimmer  of  early  dawn 
streamed  into  the  cavern,  Lea  arose  and  went 
forth,  singing  the  conclusion  of  the  psalm  : 

"  Had  I  not  believed  that  I  should  see  the  good- 
ness of  Jehovah 
In  the  land  of  the  living  ! 
Wait  on  Jehovah  ! 
Be  strong  and  of  a  cheerful  heart ! 
Wait  on  Jehovah  !" 

She  washed  herself,  and  slaked  her  thirst  at 
the  fountain.  As  she  was  still  not  far  from  Tibe- 
rias and  feared  pursuit,  she  wound  her  way  yet 
deeper  into  the  mountains,  and  sought  to  appease 
her  hunger  with  roots  and  berries  which  she  ga- 
thered by  the  way.  The  heat  became  more  and 
more  intense  and  still  she  wandered  on,  uncertain 
whither  she  went,  and  with  no  aim  but  to  shun 
villages,  hamlets,  and  every  trace  of  human  foot- 
steps. 

Evening  again  approached;  the  pains  of  hun- 
ger became  more  and  more  severe,  and  anxious 
5 


58  LEA,    OR    THE 

forebodings   rilled  her  heart.     She  saw  no  cave, 
she  knew  not  whither  she  should  turn. 

Her  reflections  during  the  day  had  often  been 
interrupted  by  the  question,  whether  she  was  not 
herself  to  blame  for  her  misfortunes.  She  had 
tried  in  many  ways  to  justify  herself,  but  she  now 
exclaimed,  "  I  am  the  cause  of  them  all !  Had  I 
been  more  humble,  more  quiet  and  obedient,  my 
mistress  would  not  have  been  so  bitter  towards 
me.  But  I  was  proud  and  wilful,  and  thought 
myself  more  knowing  than  other  people.  Now 
I  suffer  the  punishment." 

She  was  about  to  shelter  herself  in  a  dense  thick- 
et, when  she  heard  within  it  the  growling  of  wild 
beasts.  As  she  was  exploring  another,  a  serpent 
darted  towards  her.  She  sank  on  her  knees  and 
prayed  to  God  for  forgiveness  and  succor.  She 
lay  down  under  a  tree  with  low  branches ;  think- 
ing she  might  be  safer  above,  she  climbed  into  it, 
and  spent  there  the  sleepless  night. 

In  the  morning,  when  the  beasts  of  prey  had 
retired  to  their  hiding-places,  and  the  horrible 
trampling  under  her  feet  had  ceased,  she  was  in 
doubt  whether  to  go  farther,  or  to  await  death 
where  she  was.      Hunger  impelled  her  forward. 

As  she  wandered  on  in  mute  despair,  she  sud- 
denly found  herself  in  the  presence  of  an  aged 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  59 

woman  who  was  gathering  sticks.  She  was 
frightened  and  would  have  fled,  but  was  so  ex- 
hausted that  she  could  not  move.  She  stood 
trembling,  with  a  half-eaten  root  in  her  hand. 

"  Fear  not,  dear  child,"  said  the  woman. 
"  Thou  must  be  hungry,  I  think,  thou  art  so 
pale." 

The  old  matron  looked  at  her  with  such  a  be- 
nevolent, motherly  expression  that  Lea  answered, 
"  Yes,  I  am  very  hungry." 

"  Here,  then,  take  and  eat,"  said  she,  offering 
her  bread  and  dates  from  her  lap. 

"  If  I  might  eat  it!"  said  Lea,  taking  the 
bread.  "Art  thou  a  daughter  of  our  father 
Abraham?" 

"  I  am  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of 
Zebulon,  a  Jewess  of  the  Jews.  What  I  give 
thee  is  clean,"  said  the  woman. 

"Oh, then,  take  me  with  thee  to  thy  home!"  said 
Lea,  with  the  confiding,  winning  manner  which 
was  natural  to  her. 

"  Come,  my  daughter,"  replied  she,  taking  her 
by  the  hand.  "  Shelter  and  food,  such  as  I  my- 
self have,  will  I  give  to  thee." 


CHAPTER   IX. 

The  little  dwelling  into  which  the  aged  ma- 
tron— Elizabeth  was  her  name — conducted  her 
guest,  had  neither  fore-court  nor  middle-court, 
neither  flat  roof  nor  Aliya.  But  it  was  the  abode 
of  a  tranquil  and  devout  spirit,  impressing  on  all 
around  it  the  image  of  the  purity  which  reigned 
within.  The  cottage  with  its  scanty  furniture 
wore  an  air  of  poverty,  but  at  the  same  time  of 
exquisite  neatness  and  orderly  arrangement, 
which  spoke  to  every  kindred  heart  the  pure  and 
domestic  feeling  of  the  occupant. 

A  strange  feeling  came  over  Lea  as  she  enter- 
ed the  cottage.  The  objects  which  met  her  eye 
seemed  familiar  to  her.  Not  that  she  had  ever 
seen  them  in  actual  life,  but  it  seemed  to  her  that 
she  must  have  seen  them  in  a  dream.  She 
watched  her  benefactress,  as  she  moved  with 
quiet  and  thoughtful  promptness  through  her 
little  round  of  household  duties,  and  felt  like  one 
suddenly  escaped  from  all  earthly  troubles  into  a 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  61 

heavenly  peace.  Elizabeth,  majestic  in  stature, 
with  noble  features  to  which  age  had  imparted  a 
kind  of  sanctity,  seemed  to  her  a  Sarah,  a  Re- 
becca,— a  venerable  mother  of  the  patriarchal 
times. 

All  danger  and  suffering  were  forgotten,  yet 
her  natural  sportiveness  was  repressed.  For  the 
first  time  in  her  life,  she  was  held  in  check  in 
her  joy  by  a  mysterious  but  salutary  power.  As 
she  became  conscious  of  this  mild  restraint,  and 
yet  found  herself  still  happy,  her  heart  yielded  to 
its  softening  influence,  and  tears  started  in  her 
eyes. 

Elizabeth  supposed  it  was  the  remembrance  of 
some  misfortune  which  thus  affected  her,  and  to 
divert  her  feelings  led  her  out  of  the  cottage 
when  she  had  satisfied  her  hunger,  and  bade  her 
take  a  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 

The  house  lay  upon  a  considerable  eminence 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Cana.  The  little  town, 
so  far  removed  that  it  made  a  quiet  picture  to  the 
eye,  extended  along  the  declivity  of  the  hill  down 
into  the  valley.  Behind  Cana,  the  majestic 
Tabor  rose  from  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  towering 
to  the  clouds.  The  hill  on  which  the  cottage 
stood  made  the  projection  of  the  second  step  in 
the  descent,  of  which  Tabor,  with  its  flat  level 


62  LEA,    OR    THE 

summit,  formed  the  first.  Still  farther  down 
spread  a  view  of  the  sea  of  Gennesareth  and  of 
the  cities  upon  its  eastern  shore.  Wherever  the 
eye  wandered  over  this  gorgeous  Alpine  land- 
scape, whether  to  the  fruitful  plains  of  Jezreel, 
Esdraelon,  and  Sharon,  to  the  lovely  valley  of 
the  Jordan,  to  the  gorges  of  the  wooded  hills,  or 
isolated  oases  on  the  declivities  of  barren  moun- 
tains— enclosures  of  hamlets,  walled  cities,  or 
Aliyahs  of  single  mansions,  greeted  the  sight. 

Never  had  her  father-land  appeared  so  beauti- 
ful. Her  eyes  swam  in  tears  ;  she  grasped  the 
hand  of  Elizabeth,  and  said,  "  Oh,  how  lovely  is 
the  place  of  thy  dwelling  !  Praise  to  Jehovah 
who  guided  me  to  thee  !" 

"  Thou  art  welcome,  my  daughter." 

"  And  I  have  been  brought  here  out  of  great 
affliction,"  continued  Lea, "  and  surely  thou  doest 
a  good  wTork  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah,  to  take  pity 
on  a  poor  orphan  who  was  near  being  stoned." 

They  seated  themselves  under  the  palm  trees, 
whose  high  leafy  tops  overshadowed  the  cottage, 
and  Lea,  with  the  artless  simplicity  of  childhood, 
related  her  story. 

"  But  wrhy,"  asked  Elizabeth,  after  she  had 
expressed  to  Lea  her  thanks  and  sympathy, 
•  why  would'st  thou  not  receive  the  new  Mes- 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  b6 

siah  with  the  sounding  name  '  The  Son  of  the 
Stars'?'" 

"  Indeed,  I  hardly  know  myself,"  answered 
Lea.  "  If  I  did,  I  should  be  happier.  I  assure 
thee  the  very  hearing  of  his  name  troubles  me, 
because  I  cannot  tell  how  I  have  become,  in 
spite  of  myself,  so  strangely  affected  towards 
him." 

"In  spite  of  thyself?"  asked  Elizabeth. 

"  In  Tiberias,"  replied  Lea,  "  they  would  have 
it  that  I  was  a  Nazarene,  because  I  came  from 
Capernaum.  At  first  I  looked  upon  it  as  a  jest. 
But  when  they  told  me  so  many  horrible  things 
of  these  people,  and  still  persisted  in  numbering 
me  among  them,  I  grew  angry,  and,  without 
really  meaning  to  do  anything  wicked,  I  sought 
to  punish  their  folly  by  acting  as  if  I  were  truly 
a  Nazarene." 

"  But  was  that  right  V3  said  Elizabeth,  with  a 
searching,  but  kindly  glance. 

"  No,  it  was  not ;  it  was  not  right.  I  ac- 
knowledge my  fault.  But  I  could  not  help  it ; 
especially  when  that  '  Son  of  the  Stars'  was 
announced  to  us.  At  first  I  did  certainly  rejoice 
at  it  from  the  heart ;  but  my  mistress  pressed  me 
with  such  bitter  taunts,  that  I  at  last  retorted 
upon  her  what  I  heard  was  said  of  Barchocheba 
by  the  Nazarenes." 


64  LEA,    OR    THE 

"  But  art  thou  not  sorry,  now  that  Jehovah 
has  so  punished  thy  revengeful  spirit  1" 

"  Indeed,  I  could  not  but  weep  much  on  account 
of  it,  during  the  two  nights  which  I  spent  among 
the  wild  beasts.  But  pray  tell  me  thy  opinion — 
is  it  not  contrary  to  the  express  predictions  of  our 
prophets,  that  the  Messiah  should  make  his 
appearance  in  pomp  and  splendor  ?  When,  for 
instance,  I  heard  read  in  the  synagogue  the  sec- 
tion from  Isaiah,  respecting  the  servant  of  God 
through  whose  stripes  we  are  healed,  and  who 
hath  borne  our  sorrows,  I  asked  the  Rabbi  to 
whom  this  related.  He  said,  to  the  Messiah. 
From  that  time,  I  could  never  conceive  of  the 
Messiah,  except  as  suffering  and  enduring;  and 
I  have  the  more  delight  in  this  idea,  because  my 
oppressors,  who  lived  in  happiness  and  luxury, 
were  continually  speaking  of  his  state  and  ma- 
jesty. It  seemed  to  me  that  the  unfortunate  and 
miserable  must  also  have  a  Messiah,  and  this  is 
the  true  one,  for  he  is  to  suffer  in  order  to  fulfil 
what  is  written  of  him." 

Lea  had  not  ventured  to  look  up  while  utter- 
ing these  words.  She  now  raised  her  eyes,  and 
was  awe-struck  by  the  appearance  of  her  aged 
companion.  Her  countenance,  animated  by  the 
deep  emotion  of  her  soul,  and  lighted  by  the 
glow  of  sunset,  beamed  with  an  expression  more 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  0 

than  human.  There  was  a  joy,  a  love,  in  her 
soft  glance,  such  as  Lea  had  never  seen  before. 

"  What  aileth  thee  ?"  at  length  asked  Lea. 
"  Art  thou,  too,  one  of  the  afflicted  ?" 

"  I  am  a  Nazarene  !"  said  Elizabeth  ;  "  and 
so  art  thou,  though  thou  knowest  it  not." 

Lea  drew  back  with  a  shudder.  "  No,  indeed, 
thou  mistakest  me,"  said  she  ;  "  I  have  an  uncon- 
querable loathing  of  human  flesh.  No,  I  am  no 
Nazarene,  nor  ever  can  be.  And  oh,  Elizabeth, 
is  it  possible  that  thou  art  one  ?  From  the  very 
depths  of  my  heart  I  hate  this  sect." 

Elizabeth  laughed  as  she  reached  out  her 
hand  to  her,  and  Lea  joined  in  the  laugh  in  spile 
of  herself. 

"  Give  thyself  no  uneasiness,  dear  child.  Thou 
wilt  soon  understand  this  better.  But  of  this  I 
can  now  assure  thee :  I  have  never  eaten  human 
flesh,  and  I  know  no  believer  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  who  has  ever  eaten  it.  What  thou  hast 
told  me  is  only  a  pitiful  calumny  upon  our  holy 
Supper.  But  of  this  we  will  speak  again  ;  only, 
for  the  present,  hold  fast  to  thy  Messiah  of  the 
miserable,  and  to  the  suffering  servant  of  God. 
Child,  that  word  has  won  thee  ra}'  heart !" 

She  now  rose  up,  and  both  went  into  the  cot- 
tage. 


CHAPTER    X. 

A  delightful  relation  was  quickly  established 
between  Elizabeth  and  Lea.  Elizabeth  watched 
over  the  maiden  with  maternal  love,  and  she  re- 
paid it  by  those  ready  and  affectionate  services 
which  could  not  but  be  acceptable  to  her  aged 
friend. 

The  benignant  seriousness  of  Elizabeth  threw 
a  gentle  restraint  round  the  exuberant  gaiety  of 
Lea,  so  that  it  did  not  burst  its  bounds  to  her 
subsequent  sorrow ;  while  her  own  inward  youth- 
fulness  of  spirit  was  charmed  forth,  as  it  were, 
into  her  outward  demeanor  by  the  childlike  glad- 
ness of  the  girl. 

Day  by  day  Elizabeth  felt  herself  more  strongly 
drawn  towards  Lea,  and  Lea  attached  herself 
more  fondly  to  Elizabeth. 

Of  the  Nazarenes  nothing  further  was  said, 
till  accident,  one  morning,  made  them  the  sub- 
ject of  conversation.  Lea  was  accustomed  to 
rise  an  hour  earlier  than   Elizabeth,  in  order  to 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  '67 

gather  for  her  in  the  neighboring  forest  a  choice 
nosegay  of  fragrant  flowers,  and  to  bring  her 
fresh  gathered  dates  and  grapes  from  the  little 
enclosure,  and  warm  milk  from  the  stall.  As 
she  now  came  into  the  cottage  with  this  early 
repast,  she  found  Elizabeth  already  engaged  in 
her  morning  devotions. 

She  paused  reverently  in  the  doorway,  and 
silently  joined  in  the  prayer.  When  it  was 
finished,  she  greeted  her  aged  friend  with  the 
repast.  Elizabeth  accepted  it  with  thanks,  and 
both  seated  themselves"  on  the  threshold  of  the 
cottage  in  the  beams  of  the  early  morning  sun. 

*  But  tell  me  sincerely  now,"  said  Lea,  with 
her  frank  simplicity  of  manner,  "  thou  surely  art 
not  a  Nazarene  1" 

«  Why  not  1"  returned  Elizabeth. 

"  Why  the  Nazarenes  are  deniers  of  God,  are 
heathens  ;  and  thou  art  so  pious,  and  prayest  to 
God  every  morning  after  the  manner  of  our  peo- 
ple." 

"  Thou  may'st  remember,  dear  Lea,"  replied 
Elizabeth,  "  that  I  told  thee  on  the  evening  of 
thy  arrival  that  I  was  a  daughter  of  Abraham, 
of  the  tribe  of  Zebulon.  Since,  then,  I  am  of 
the  stock  of  Israel,  I  keep  the  law  which  was 
given  through  Moses  to  Israel,  although  I  am  a 


68  LEA,    OR    THE 

Nazarene.     Indeed,  for  the  very  reason  that  I 

believe  in  the  Messiah  as  already  come,  am  I  the 

more  bound  to  fulfil  that  law  by  which  he  has 

distinguished  our  nation  above  all  believing  Gen- 
es o 

tiles." 

"  O  that  is  good  !"  cried  Lea,  "  that  you  keep 
the  law !  Of  that,  too,  I  had  heard  the  con- 
trary." 

"  Of  much  more,  dear  inexperienced  child, 
thou  wilt  hear  the  contrary.  Do  but  inquire  dili- 
gently. I  rejoice  that  thou  art  so  open  and  sin- 
cere.    Such  Jehovah  will  prosper." 

Lea  leaned  fondly  on  Elizabeth's  arm,  as  she 
said  in  a  winning  tone,  "  Since  thou  art  so  kind, 
I  will  take  courage  to  ask  thee  a  question  which  I 
have  never  ventured  before." 

"  Speak  on,"  said  Elizabeth. 

"  Wilt  thou  not  chide  me  then  for  an  inquisi- 
tive girl  V 

"  Nay ;  speak,  my  daughter." 

"  How  happened  it,"  asked  Lea  eagerly,  yet 
in  a  subdued  tone,  "  that  thou  art  a  Nazarene  ?" 

"  I  am  pleased  with  thy  question,"  said  Eliza- 
beth, "  and  thou  dost  well  to  make  the  inquiry. 
For  one  can  neither  rightly  know,  nor  truly  love, 
another  of  whom  he  knows  not  how  he  came  to 
be  a  believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus.     True,  the  par- 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  69 

ticulars  of  every  case  are  not  necessary ;  for  the 
most  part,  a  general  knowledge  will  suffice  ;  but 
mine  thou  shalt  fully  understand." 

"  That  is  a  strange  custom  of  you  Nazarenes," 
said  Lea.  "But  I  interrupt  thee;  let  me  hear 
what  thou  hast  so  kindly  promised." 

"  We  will  sit  then  without,  that  we  may  over- 
look the  town,"  said  Elizabeth. 

She  took  Lea  tenderly  by  the  hand,  and  when 
they  had  seated  themselves  on  a  bank  of  turf  in 
the  deep  shade  of  a  terebinth,  she  thus  began  : 

"  Observe  there  the  smiling  village  of  Cana 
extending  down  the  hill  into  the  valley.  There 
commences  properly  the  story  of  my  life,  and  in- 
deed, wonderful  as  it  may  seem  to  thee,  before 
my  life  began.  In  Cana  my  grandfather  and 
grandmother  were  a  young  bridal  pair  when  our 
Lord  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  commenced  his  ministry. 
He  had  been  baptized  by  his  forerunner,  Elias, 
who  is  called  John,  at  the  Jordan  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Bethabara,  and  came  with  a  few  disci- 
ples— he  had  not  yet  many — into  Galilee.  My 
grandparents  were  just  then  celebrating  their 
marriage  festival,  and  his  mother,  Mary  of  Naza- 
reth (do  you  see  the  walls  on  that  high  hill  north 
from  Tabor  ?  that  is  Nazareth)  was  also  there. 
Few  then  knew  who  he  was.     As  their  wine 


70  LEA,    OR    THE 

failed  towards  the  close  of  the  festival — for 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  had  meantime  arrived,—- 
he  gave  commandment  that  they  should  fill  the 
stone  jars  with  water.  This  done,  he  bids  them 
draw  out,  and  behold  it  is  wine  !  All  Galilee 
was  in  astonishment  at  this  miracle  ;  but  his  dis- 
ciples and  the  young  wedded  pair  believed  on 
him.  This  wedded  pair,  in  whose  house  the  Son 
of  God  performed  his  first  miracle,  were,  with 
pride  I  say  it,  my  grandparents.  Ah,  my  grand- 
mother !  who  in  her  old  age  was  brought  hither 
to  her  daughter,  a  thousand  times  over  has  she 
told  us  on  this  very  spot,  of  that  noble  festival ; 
how  the  Lord  blessed  the  bridal  pair  ;  how  kind- 
ly, yet  how  dignified  was  his  demeanor  ;  how  the 
astonished  guests  suddenly  became  serious,  and 
how  the  Lord  instructed  them.  ■  That  cannot 
their  children,  nor  their  children's  children  for- 
get,' said  my  sainted  grandmother.  .  .  .  i  My  little 
Elizabeth,'  added  she,  '  must  not  forget  it ;  for 
as  often  as  the  Lord  came  to  Cana,  in  his  journeys 
through  Galilee,  he  made  his  abode  with  us,  and 
so  long  as  our  blood  flows  in  human  veins,  we 
must  love  him  with  a  peculiar  affection.'  I  have 
done  so ;  and  as  I  from  my  childhood  have  loved 
him  and  believed  on  him,  so  he  who  now  sits  in 
the  heavens  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  has 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  71 

ever  been  peculiarly  gracious  to  me.  He  has  be- 
stowed upon  me  the  three  choicest  blessings,  viz. 
to  be  assured  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  through 
faith ;  to  bear  the  cross  as  an  evidence  of  his 
love ;  and  to  rejoice  daily  in  the  hope  of  being 
received  to  his  presence  and  of  sharing  his  eter- 
nal glory  •when  this  poor  life  upon  the  earth  is 
finished.  'Tis  true,  I  have  often  been  disobedient 
to  him,  and  he  has  been  obliged  daily  to  forgive 
my  sins  anew ;  but  my  faith  has  never  wravered, 
and  through  much  suffering  and  affliction  has 
been  sustained  by  his  grace.  Of  this  I  could  say 
much,  my  dear  daughter.  To  love  him,  and  to 
suffer  for  him,  those  two  precious  privileges  of 
the  children  of  God  on  earth,  have  never  been 
denied  me.  While  my  dear  parents  were  yet 
living,  he  bestowed  upon  me  a  beloved  husband, 
who  was  also  a  disciple  of  the  Lord,  and  who, 
during  the  years  of  our  long  union,  helped  me 
much  by  his  example,  his  instructions,  and  his 
prayers  on  my  behalf.  Two  dear  children  were 
given  to  us,  a  son  and  a  daughter,  who  also  early 
sought  and  found  the  Lord.  These  have  all  gone 
before  me  into  the  eternal  joy ;  I,  the  least  wor- 
thy of  them  all,  must  stay  behind  a  while  longer. 
But  I  know  that  my  time  too  is  approaching.  I 
may  not  be  impatient,  but  how  joyful  will  it  be 


72 

when  the  Master  calls  me.  Then  shall  I  find 
again  grandparents,  parents,  children  and  hus- 
band with  the  Lord,  and  then  shall  I  behold  him 
whom  my  soul  loveth,  face  to  face.  Our  child- 
ren had  already  been  some  years  dead,  and  my 
husband  and  I  lived  on  in  this  cottage  in  peace 
and  mutual  love,  seeking  not  for  riches  or  vain 
show,  but  for  our  eternal  inheritance.  It  was  the 
greatest  joy  left  us  in  our  age,  to  sit  together  on 
this  turf  and  look  across  to  the  house  of  miracle 
in  Cana,  while  we  talked  together  of  our  Lord. 
He,  too,  has  now  been  dead  a  whole  year,  and  I 
am  solitary  and  alone.  An  orphan,  a  widow, 
childless  and  old — all  these  am  I  at  once,  my 
daughter  !  But  that  word  has  often  escaped  me 
since  we  have  been  together.  My  daughter  !  be 
thou  a  daughter  to  me,  and  I  will  love  thee  as  a 
mother.  Thou  too,  like  me,  hast  no  one  left  thee 
in  this  world.  The  Lord  has  brought  us  toge- 
ther ;  let  us  abide  together,  united  in  love  and 
sorrow !" 

"  My  mother,  my  dear,  dear  mother  !"  cried 
Lea  weeping,  and  sunk  upon  her  bosom. 

The    mother    wept  too,    exclaiming  as   she 
clasped  her  in  her  arms,  "  My  dear  daughter  l" 

Long  lay  the  blooming  child  on  the  bosom  of 
the  tender  mother. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Wildly  raged  the  tumult  in  the  land.  The 
Jews  had  taken  up  arms  the  more  boldly,  as  the 
Romans  at  first  thought  lightly  of  their  move- 
ments. Out  of  all  the  neighboring  regions  were 
collected  those  who  took  part  with  them,  either 
from  patriotism  or  the  hope  of  plunder.  iElia 
Capitolina  had  been  taken  by  the  insurgents,  and 
Tinius  Rufus,  the  governor,  was  compelled  to 
take  refuge  in  flight.  The  Emperor  had  there- 
upon sent  thither  Julius  Severus,  the  commander 
of  his  forces  in  Britain,  and  whilst  the  party  in- 
clined to  the  Roman  interest  were  awaiting  him, 
the  Jews,  wTith  Barchocheba  at  their  head,  pre- 
pared for  a  fierce  resistance.  Barchocheba  pro- 
ceeded with  such  fury,  that  no  Christian  was 
secure  of  his  life,  and  was  compelled  either  to 
deny  the  Christian  faith,  or  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  Romans. 

In  the  midst  of  this  tumult  of  war,  the  mother 
and  daughter  enjoyed  undisturbed  their  home  of 


74  LEA,    OR   THE 

peace  and  love  upon  the  mountain  side.  The 
cottage,  while  it  looked  out  far  and  wide  from 
its  lofty  position  on  the  open  hill  side,  seemed 
itself  to  have  caught  no  human  eye  in  these  un- 
quiet times.  "  The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth 
round  about  those  that  fear  him,  and  delivereth 
them,"  said  Elizabeth.  "  Of  this  we  have  hourly 
experience." 

"  Oh,  my  dear  mother,"  said  Lea,"  were  my 
eyes  but  opened  as  were  Elisha's  servant's  at 
Samaria,  assuredly  I  should  see  that  far  more  are 
the  heavenly  powers  who  are  for  thee,  than  the 
earthly  who  are  against  thee." 

"  Yet  it  is  sad, — the  infatuation  of  the  people,'* 
said  Elizabeth,  "  that  they  should  not  see  that  a 
man  wTho  comes  with  fire  and  sword  cannot  be 
the  true  Messiah.  Often  when  I  look  down  into 
the  valleys  and  upon  the  road  that  leads  along 
the  sea,  from  Damascus  to  iElia  Capitolina,  and 
watch  the  eager  crowds  hurrying  to  the  scene  of 
war,  I  am  reminded  of  the  prophetic  warning  of 
the  Lord  :  '  If  they  shall  say  unto  you,  lo  !  here  is 
the  Messiah,  or  there, — believe  it  not ;  for  many 
false  Christs  and  false  prophets  shall  arise,  and 
shall  do  great  signs  and  wonders,  Lo,  I  have  told 
you  before.  Therefore,  if  they  say  unto  you,  be- 
hold he  is  in  the  desert,  eo  not  forth ;  behold  he  is 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  75 

in  the  chamber,  believe  it  not;  for  as  the  lightning 
shineth  from  the  east  even  to  the  west,  so  shall 
be  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  For  where  a 
carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  gather  to- 
gether.' " 

"  This  indeed  seems,"  said  Lea,  "  the  fulfilment 
of  the  prediction.  Could  I  but  certainly  know 
from  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  is  the  true  Messiah ! 
But  yet  the  predictions  of  the  prophets  must  be 
fulfilled  in  him,  and  I  know  not  one  of  which  this 
is  true." 

"  If  thou  wilt  listen  to  me,  I  will  tell  thee  a 
few  of  the  many,  so  far  as  I,  an  unlearned  wo- 
man, am  acquainted  with  them.  If  thou  could'st 
but  hear  a  Bishop  or  an  Elder  discourse  upon  it, 
thou  would'st  be  astonished  to  see  how  the  whole 
Old  Testament  is  fulfilled  in  Jesus.  As  for  me, 
weak  woman  as  I  am,  I  have  only  laid  up  so 
much  as  serves  for  an  assurance  to  myself." 

"  0,  do  but  tell  me  even  that !"  said  Lea,  en- 
treatingly. 

"  Willingly,  dear  child.  First  of  all  is  it  ful- 
filled in  him,  that  he  is  a  son  of  David.  Thou 
know'st  that  the  prophets  always  so  designated 
him,  and  we  have  the  genuine  register  of  his  an- 
cestry which  shows  that  he  is  of  the  race  of 
David,  not  only  by  his  mother  Mary,  but  also  by 


76  LEA,    OR    THE 

his  foster  father  Joseph.  I  have  a  book  which 
contains  it,  and  I  will  showT  it  to  thee.  Let  me 
remind  thee,  moreover,  that  in  our  last  prophet, 
Malachi,  the  mouth  of  prophecy  closes  with  the 
declaration  that  Elias  shall  come  before  the  Lord, 
who  shall  appear  in  his  temple,  and  shall  prepare 
his  way.  And  so  soon  as  its  voice  is  heard 
ao-ain,  the  birth  of  the  forerunner  is  announced  to 
his  father  Zacharias,  as  he  burnt  incense  in  the 
temple,  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord  who  appeared 
to  him  on  the  right  hand  of  the  altar  of  incense. 
Isaiah  prophesied  that  his  mother  should  be  a 
virgin,  and  Mary  was  so.  Bethlehem  Ephratah 
was  pointed  out  by  Micah  as  the  place  from 
which,  though  it  were  small  among  the  thousands 
of  Judah,  He  should  come  who  should  be  Lord 
in  Israel,  and  whose  goings  forth  were  from  the 
beginning,  even  from  everlasting ;  and  in  Beth- 
lehem was  he  born.  Out  of  Egypt  hath  Jehovah 
called  his  son,  said  Hosea ;  and  Jesus  fled  with 
his  parents  to  Egypt  to  escape  the  massacre, 
ordered  by  Herod,  of  the  children  at  Bethlehem, 
and  returned  after  some  years  to  the  abode  of 
his  parents  in  Galilee. 

"  There  were  to  come  runners  from  Midi  an  and 
Epha,  as  announced  by  Isaiah,  and  from  Sebah 
the  multitudes  of  the  Gentiles,  bringing  gold  and 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  77 

frankincense,  and  proclaiming  the  praise  of  Je- 
hovah; and  accordingly,  soon  after  his  birth, 
came  the  wise  men  from  the  East.  In  like  man- 
ner is  that  prophecy  of  which  thou  hast  spoken 
fulfilled.  He  was  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  who 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  was 
smitten  for  our  sins ;  upon  whom  was  laid  the 
penalty,  that  we  might  have  peace.  Thirty 
pieces  of  silver  were  they  to  weigh  out, — and  for 
this  sum  the  traitor  Judas  sold  him  to  the  high 
council.  In  the  Psalms  it  was  foretold  that  they 
should  part  his  raiment  among  them,  and  cast 
lots  for  his  seamless  mantle ; — and  thus  the  sol- 
diers did  beneath  the  cross.  Moreover  it  was 
declared  by  the  dying  Jacob  in  prophetic  vision, 
that  the  sceptre  should  not  depart  from  Judah, 
nor  a  ruler  from  his  feet,  till  the  Deliverer 
should  come,  to  whom  the  people  should  gather 
themselves; — and  now  the  sceptre  is  departed, 
the  ruler  fails,  and  consequently  the  Deliverer 
must  have  come.  The  temple,  too,  to  which  the 
Lord  should  come,  according  to  Malachi's  pre- 
diction, is  no  more ;  consequently  he  must  have 
appeared.  It  may  also  be  known  to  thee,  that 
in  Daniel  mention  is  made  of  seventy  weeks  of 
years,  after  which  the  iniquity  was  to  be  sealed 
up,  atonement  made  for  transgression,  everlast- 


78  LEA,    OK    THE 

ing  righteousness  brought  in,  the  vision  and  pro- 
phecy sealed  up,  and  the  Most  Holy  anointed ; — 
and  these  seventy  weeks  of  years  end  exactly  at 
the  time  of  Jesus.  What  think'st  thou,  my  good 
child  ?  Has  there  ever  appeared  one  in  whom  so 
many  predictions  have  had  their  literal  fulfil- 
ment 1  And  is  it  not  clear  to  thee,  that  in  these 
events  of  his  life,  the  prophecies  and  their  fulfil- 
ment mutually  explain  and  verify  each  other  V 

"  It  swims  before  my  sight !  "  said  Lea ;  "  sure- 
ly this  is  the  Messiah, — or  no  one  !" 

"  And,  as  I  said  before,  I  am  but  a  poor,  un- 
lettered woman.  But  the  little  I  am  able  to  im- 
part to  thee  shows  how  pitiful  in  comparison  is 
Rabbi  Akiba's  forced  application  to  Barchoche- 
ba  of  a  single,  indefinite  prophecy,  and  the  at- 
tempt of  both  to  make  out  with  falsehood  and 
deceit  the  appearance  of  a  miracle." 

"  0  say  no  more  of  them,  I  entreat  thee,"  said 
Lea.  "  We  shall  yet  live  to  see  them  come  to 
a  fearful  end." 

"  But  the  most  wonderful  of  all  is  this,  that  at 
the  death  of  Jesus,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent,  and  the  Most  Holy  exposed  to  view ;  and 
some  tens  of  years  after,  the  offerings  ceased.  For 
all  the  offerings  were  merely  types  and  shadows 
of  him,  and  since  he  has  by  one  offering  fulfilled 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  79 

them  all,  he  has  by  the  same  perfected  for  ever 
those  that  are  sanctified.  He  is  the  morning  and 
the  evening  sacrifice,  the  paschal  Lamb,  the  sin 
and  the  thank-offering,  the  offering  of  expiation, — 
all  in  one ;  and  therefore,  after  him,  all  offerings 
of  necessity  cease,  and  the  meat  and  the  drink- 
offerings  receive,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper, 
a  new  consecration  and  a  higher  significance." 

"  Oh,  it  is  too  much  !"  exclaimed  Lea  !  "  I 
cannot  grasp  it.  Each  particular  is  beyond  my 
comprehension.  Aid  me,  and  pray  for  me,  that, 
by  little  and  little,  I  may  apprehend  what  now,  in 
its  overwhelming  vastness,  floats  before  my  soul." 


CHAPTER   XII. 

After  this  conversation  a  great  change  was 
visibly  passing  upon  the  spirit  of  Lea.  A  thought- 
fulness,  such  as  Elizabeth  had  not  before  remarked 
in  her,  appeared  in  her  whole  demeanor.  Hours 
together  she  wandered  in  the  neighboring  thick- 
ets, or  sat  on  the  turf  beneath  the  terebinth,  or 
stood  lost  in  thought  over  her  flowers. 

Elizabeth  left  her  undisturbed  to  her  own  re- 
flections. She  made  not  one  inquiry  as  to  the 
effect  of  what  she  had  said,  and  only  prayed  to 
the  Lord  that  he  would  send  down  his  Holy  Spirit 
on  this  her  beloved  child.  But  when,  at  times, 
Lea  ran  up  to  her,  as  she  often  did,  in  great  haste, 
to  inquire  respecting  this  or  that  fulfilment  or 
prediction,  she  then  gave  her  a  full  and  cheerful 
answer. 

Lea's  talkativeness  had  forsaken  her ;  and  they 
often  sat  at  their  morning  and  evening  meal 
without  uttering  a  word.  Thus  it  was  one  morn- 
ing when,  after  the  usual  prayer  in  the  Jewish 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN,  81 

manner,  they  had  partaken  of  their  breakfast  on 
their  favorite  turf  beneath  the  terebinth.  Already 
had  they  sat  half  an  hour  in  silence,  side  by  side. 
The  mother  was  looking  down  towards  Cana,  and 
Lea,  half  turned  from  her,  gazed  towards  the 
region  of  Capernaum. 

u  Whither  lookest  thou  V9  asked  the  mother. 

"  Towards  Capernaum, — His  city  and  mine !" 
said  Lea  with  a  pleasant  smile. 

"  I  am  looking  towards  Cana,"  returned  the 
mother, — "  but  thy  look  and  mine  are  one!" 

"  Thinkest  thou  so  V9  exclaimed  Lea,  with 
mingled  surprise  and  tenderness. 

"  It  is  not  the  houses  and  the  landscape  that 
we  see ;  we  see  Him  !"  said  the  mother. 

"  Yes,  I  believe  it,"  replied  Lea,  wondering  at 
herself.  "  I  shall  yet  become,  in  earnest,  what 
I  have  so  long  been  in  jest, — a  disciple  of  Jesus  !" 

The  mother  embraced  her  daughter,  while  she 
read  in  her  eyes  the  conflicting  emotions  of  her 
full  soul. 

"  Still,  there  is  little  as  yet  that  I  clearly  under- 
stand," said  Lea.  "  There  are  yet  many  things 
for  thee  to  explain  to  me." 

Elizabeth  went  into  the  cottage  and  came  back 
with  a  scroll,  which  she  handled  as  carefully  as 
if  it  were  a  casket  of  jewels.  "  Here  is  a  sacred 
6 


82  LEA,   OR    THS 

book,"  said  she :  "  the  Gospel  of  the  holy  Apostle 
Matthew.*  It  is  written  in  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
Read  it,  and  thou  wilt  need  no  more  my  explana- 
tions. In  this  book  thou  wilt  find  everything 
thou  seekest.  I  may  no  longer  withhold  it  from 
thee,  since  thou  thyself  believest  that  thou  mayst 
become  a  disciple  of  our  Lord.  But,  my  dear 
daughter,  it  is  a  sacred  thing.  Wash  thy  hands 
before  thou  takest  it.     It  is  my  treasure." 

"But  I  cannot  read,"  said  Lea.  "Where  is 
the  maiden  in  Israel,  who,  like  a  Rabbi,  learns  to 
read?" 

"  Thou  art  right,  dear  daughter.  I  look  upon 
thee  already  as  a  sister  in  the  Lord.  In  the 
churches  of  the  saints,  parents  labor  to  secure 
fpr  their  children,  above  every  other  inheritance, 
the  ability  to  read  the  word  of  life.  I  was  allowed 
no  rest  in  childhood  till  I  could  read  the  gospel 
of  Matthew.  I  must  teach  thee  to  do  so  in  time. 
But,  for  the  present,  I  will  read  it  to  thee." 

The  mother  selected  a  spot  on  the  summit  of  the 
hill,  where  stood  a  few  palm  trees.  Hither  they 
repaired  every  morning  and  evening,  and  Eliza- 
beth read  to  Lea  the  Gospel,  explaining  the  pre- 
dictions, the  fulfilment  of  which  it  recorded,  and 
pointing  out  to  her  the  places  where  this  or  that 
incident  had  occurred. 

*  See  Appendix;  note  E. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  83 

Those  were  hours  never  to  be  forgotten ! — 
Elizabeth's  joy  every  day  increased  in  the  beloved 
child  of  her  adoption,  and  she  often  felt  as  if  the 
freshness  and  happiness  of  her  youth  had  returned 
to  her  aged  bosom.  Lea  hailed  with  eagerness 
the  return  of  the  hour,  and  hung  upon  the  lips  of 
her  mother.  Again  and  again  would  she  exclaim : 
"  How  happy  to  have  been  born  in  this  most 
blessed  of  all  lands  !" 

"  Yes,  truly ;"  said  her  mother  one  day,—"  the 
most  blessed !  No  region  of  earth  has  been 
counted  worthy  of  such  high  honor  as  these 
mountains  of  Galilee,  that  sea  of  Gennesareth, 
those  lofty  plains  in  the  land  of  Zebulon.  Here 
walked  the  Son  of  God  in  the  days  of  his  huma- 
nity. Here  opened  to  him  the  hearts  of  the  first 
believers,  and  here  was  formed  that  leaven  of  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven  by  which  all  nations  of  the 
earth  are  to  be  leavened.  Upon  this  mountain 
he  stood  and  preached;  in  yonder  village  he 
slept ;  upon  these  waves  he  walked  ;  the  odors 
we  inhale,  he  breathed ;  and  here  his  participa- 
tion blessed  the  common  air  and  sustenance  of 
man.  In  this  land  was  he  infant,  child,  youth 
and  teacher.  Assuredly  it  is  for  this  reason  that 
God  has  dressed  this  mountain  landscape  in  such 
glorious  beauty,  and  has  decked  with  every  at- 


84 

tractive  charm  these  woods  and  fountains,  these 
heights  and  valleys, — because  here  was  to  live 
his  only  begotten  Son." 

"  Blessed  be  ye,  mountains  of  Galilee,  ye  hills 
and  vales !"  exclaimed  Lea.  "  Here  may  Jehovah 
command  His  blessing  and  life  for  evermore !" 

They  lingered  long  on  the  interesting  register 
of  births  in  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel,  wander- 
ing together  in  spirit  through  the  successive  ages 
of  their  nation,  and  tracing  with  delight  the  long 
list  of  worthies  from  Abraham  to  Zerubbabel. 
They  could  not  possibly  get  farther  in  the  first 
reading ;  and  Lea,  with  the  veneration  of  her 
people  for  genealogical  records,  no  longer  had  a 
doubt  that  Jesus  was  the  son  of  David  through 
Joseph,  his  foster-father.  "  There  is  also  another 
register,"  remarked  Elizabeth, "  which  traces  the 
descent  to  Mary." 

At  the  mention  of  Joseph's  dream  in  the  story 
of  the  infant  Jesus,  Lea's  eye  was  fixed  upon  the 
mountain  on  which  Nazareth  lay;  but  at  the 
words, — "  He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene," — it 
was  turned  with  an  expression  of  quiet  pleasure 
upon  her  mother : 

"Thou  too  bearest  that  name,"  said  she. 

"Indeed,"  replied  Elizabeth,  "I  am  better 
pleased  with  the  name  of  Nazarene,  scornfully 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  85 

given  as  here  in  Judea,  than  with  that  of 
Christians  which  the  disciples  have  received  at 
Antioch ;  for  if  we  adopt  either  name,  the  more 
humble  is  the  better  one." 

"  And   reminds   us  of  our  dear  fatherland," 
added  Lea. 

"  I  confess,"  said  Elizabeth,  "  that  this  highly- 
honored  spot  of  our  fatherland  has  shown  itself 
little  worthy  of  the  distinction,  and  the  same  is 
true  of  Sephoris  which  lies  behind  that  mountain, 
just  by  the  sea,  whose  inhabitants  even  to  this 
day  make  little  account  of  the  fact  that  the 
parents  of  Mary,  Joachim  and  Anna,  dwelt  with 
them.  But  our  Lord  has  himself  taught  us  that 
a  prophet  is  not  regarded  in  his  own  country." 

On  another  evening  they  read  the  account  of 
John  the  Baptist,  and  the  story  of  Christ's  temp- 
tation. The  Gospel  then  led  them  out  to  Judea, 
back  into  their  beloved  Galilean  land.  Lea's  heart 
throbbed  to  hear  it  named  as  the  free  state  where 
the  Holy  One  of  God  ever  took  refuge,  when  in 
Judea,  under  the  Romans,  the  Pharisees  sought  to 
entrap  him.  But  her  countenance  glowed  with 
joy  when  the  words  were  read  :  "  Jesus  forsook 
the  city  of  Nazareth,  and  came  and  dwelt  in 
Capernaum  which  lies  upon  the  sea-shore,  on 
the   borders  of  Zebulon  and  Naphtali !"     Here 


86  LEA,    OR    THE 

Elizabeth  paused  and  cast  a  glance  at  her  com- 
panion. Lea  could  not  speak  for  joy.  She  then 
read  the  following  verse  where  this  is  said  to 
have  been  already  foretold  by  Isaiah  :  "  The  land 
of  Zebulon  and  the  land  of  Naphtali,  by  the  way 
of  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles ; 
the  people  that  sat  in  darkness  saw  a  great  light, 
and  to  thern  that  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow 
of  death,  light  is  sprung  up."  Here  she  paused 
again  and  said,  "  Thus  you  see  that  our  beloved 
Galilee  was  a  subject  of  ancient  prophecy,  as  the 
scene  of  the  Messiah's  preaching ;  and  it  is  our 
high  privilege  to  behold  this  light  in  the  very  land 
of  prophecy."  Then  both,  unable  to  read  or  to 
hear  more,  sunk  upon  their  knees,  overpowered 
with  joy  and  gratitude,  and  praised  the  Lord. 

At  the  next  reading  they  again  found  them- 
selves in  the  midst  of  the  region  which  spread 
itself  before  their  eyes.  It  often  seemed  to  them 
as  if  they  still  saw  the  Saviour,  in  bodily  form, 
moving  from  place  to  place  on  these  mountains 
and  by  yonder  sea,  and  gathering  his  disciples. 
At  another  time  Elizabeth  pointed  to  a  highway 
which  led  from  Damascus  to  Jerusalem,  along 
by  Tabor  and  through  Tiberias,  saying,  "  That 
is  "the  well-known  Way  of  the  Sea,  and  that 
oblong  eminence  in  the  midst  of  the  plain,  be- 


BAPTISM   IN    JORDAN.  87 

tween  Tiberias  and  Tabor,  is  the  mountain  where 
the  Lord  uttered  the  sermon  which  I  am  now 
going  to  read  to  you." 

Now  the  story  brought  them  back  to  Caper- 
naum, where  Jesus  healed  the  centurion's  servant, 
a  man  afflicted  with  palsy,  and  the  mother-in-law 
of  Peter  who  had  removed  thither  from  Beth- 
saida ;  where  also  he  called  Matthew,  raised  the 
daughter  of  Jairus,  and  sent  out  the  Apostles : 
now  to  the  sea  of  Gennesareth  where  he  stilled 
the  tempest,  where  he  consecrated  Peter  as  a 
fisher  of  men,  and  where  he  walked  upon  the 
water  :  now  to  the  wilderness  of  Bethsaida  where 
he  fed  five  thousand  men  with  five  loaves  and  two 
fishes,  or  to  the  wilderness  in  the  region  of  the 
ten  cities  where  he  fed  four  thousand  with  seven 
loaves :  now  to  Caesarea  Philippi  where  Peter 
made  the  noble  confession  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah,  the  Son  of  God :  and  as  each  event 
was  narrated  they  turned  their  eyes  to  the  scene 
of  its  occurrence.  Seldom  indeed  has  the  Gospel 
of  Matthew  been  read  as  these  two  read  it,  sitting 
on  that  sublime  mountain  height  and  looking 
down  upon  the  very  scenes  of  its  events. 

Still  it  was  not  their  greatest  joy  to  contem- 
plate the  Messiah  in  their  own  native  region. 
The  predictions  of  the  Prophet,   whose  literal 


88  LEA,    OR    TH£ 

fulfilment  was  everywhere  shown,  filled  Lea;s 
soul  with  devout  astonishment.  "  How  is  it 
possible,"  cried  she,  "  that  our  nation,  to  whom 
the  prophecies  are  familiar,  can  yet  shut  their 
eyes  to  the  fulfilment  of  them  ?  How  is  it 
possible  that  they  can  reject  Jesus,  and  attach 
themselves  to  a  Barchocheba  ?  How  is  it  possible 
that  they  can  pervert  so  precious  narratives  1 
Indeed  I  can  hardly  say  which  seems  the  more 
astonishing,  the  blindness  of  our  people,  or  the 
force  of  truth,  now  that  I  learn  from  this  book 
how  those  things  actually  happened,  which 
hitherto  I  have  heard  only  in  distorted  and  dis- 
gusting fables.  Truly  the  veil  of  Moses  hangs 
before  their  hearts." 

"  That  is  not  strange,"  replied  her  mother ; 
"  for  all  the  grace  and  truth,  the  kindness  and 
compassion,  the  condescension  and  humility 
shown  in  the  life  of  our  Lord,  and  especially  in 
his  sufferings  and  death,  of  which  we  could  never 
hear  from  the  lips  of  those  who  witnessed  them 
without  tears,  leaves  them  unmoved.  Their 
worldly  heart  is  hardened,  and  as  they  look  no 
farther  than  themselves  and  their  temporal  good, 
they  have  neither  thought  nor  feeling  for  what  is 
divine.  One  who  already  loves  in  Him  the  friend 
of  children,  of  the  poor  and  of  sinners,— he  is 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  89 

prepared  to  receive  from  the  Prophets  still  more 
light  respecting  the  Messiah  of  the  miserable." 

"  Praised  be  Jehovah  !"  said  Lea,  "  Jesus  is 
the  servant  of  the  Lord ;  is  He  who  is  sent  to 
preach  to  the  afflicted,  to  bind  up  the  broken  in 
heart,  to  proclaim  freedom  to  the  captives  and 
deliverance  to  them  that  are  bound,  to  preach  a 
gracious  year  of  the  Lord,  and  a  day  of  vengeance 
of  our  God,  to  comfort  all  that  mourn  !" 

"  We  feel  it I"  they  both  exclaimed. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Thus  more  than  a~year  passed  away.  Julius 
Severus  had  arrived  from  Britain.,  and  had  again 
at  the  head  of  his  legions  sustained  his  military 
renown.  All  around  them  raged  the  conflict  of 
war  ;  but  it  was  wonderful  how  safely  they  dwelt 
in  their  poverty.  Now  and  then  indeed  the 
general  disquietude  affected  them  also,  yet  only 
from  a  distance. 

In  hours  of  joyful  faith  they  adored  the  goodness 
of  their  Lord  which  thus  shielded  them,  and  such 
hours  were  not  few.  But  then  came  also  anxious 
hours,  and  then  the  thought  of  two  weak  women 
living  alone  in  the  cottage,  without  the  protection 
of  man,  would  often  shake  their  trust.  This,  how- 
ever, was  not  of  long  continuance.  They  soon 
called  to  mind  that  God's  protection  is  better 
than  man's,  and  when  an  anxious  night  was  over, 
and  the  cheerful  sunlight  rose  up  once  more  over 
the  sea  of  Gennesareth  ;  or  several  quiet  days 
went  by  undisturbed  as  they  were  wont ;  they 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  91 

reproached  themselves  with  their  cowardice, 
prayed  to  the  Lord  for  forgiveness,  and  for  a 
while  felt  more  than  ever  comforted. 

One  evening,  when  the  herdsmen  had  related 
to  them  various  frightful  rumors,  were  their  poor 
hearts  abandoned  to  themselves,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, had  to  suffer  much  anxiety  and  fear. 
With  terror  they  saw  the  night  close  in.  Their 
last  look  upon  the  Way  of  the  Sea  had  showed 
them  great  agitation  along  the  road.  They  gave 
themselves  up  to  evil  forebodings,  and  admoni- 
tion and  encouragement  were  of  no  avail. 

Late  in  the  evening,  when  it  was  now  dark, 
they  heard  the  steps  of  men  coming  along  up 
the  mountain.  They  trembled  and  prayed.  The 
men  talking  loudly,  came  nearer  and  nearer  to 
the  hut.  The  women  put  out  their  light,  and 
kept  perfectly  stilJ.  At  length  there  was  a  knock- 
ing at  the  door.  A  shudder  ran  over  them  at 
every  stroke.  All  was  still.  Again  the  knock- 
ing was  heard,  and  yet  again  Lea  and  Elizabeth 
sunk  upon  their  knees,  and  besought  God  for 
succor  and  deliverance.  Elizabeth  then  rose ; 
and  as  the  knocking  was  repeated  yet  the  fourth 
time,  she  went  to  the  door,  and  cried,  "  Who  is 
there?" 

"  Elizabeth,  dear  mother  and  sister,"  answer- 
ed a  familiar  voice;  "  wilt  thou  not  open  to  us  V9 


92  LEA,    OR    THE 

As  she  still  hesitated,  the  voice  continued, 
"  Know'st  thou  not  the  brother  from  Flavia  Nea- 
polis,  the  guest-friend  of  thy  house  ?  " 

With  shame  Elizabeth  unbarred  the  door, 
while  Lea  relighted  the  lamp,  and  the  brother 
from  Neapolis  entered,  conducting  another  dis- 
ciple of  the  Lord. 

"  Welcome  to  us  heartily,"  said  Elizabeth ; 
"  and  pardon  us  weak  women,  that  even  a  bro- 
ther's voice  has  terrified  us.  Ever  since  we 
heard  your  steps  coming  up  the  mountain,  we 
have  been  in  great  trial  of  our  faith,  and — let  us 
at  once  confess  it — we  have  not  stood  the  test. 
O,  it  is  but  a  poor  weak  heart — the  human  heart ! 
A  thousand  proofs  of  the  daily  renewed  goodness 
of  the  Lord  cannot,  in  the  hour  of  temptation, 
strengthen  and  sustain  it,  if,  in  its  folly,  it  looks 
to  itself  and  not  to  the  Lord.  But  praised  be  his 
goodness,  He  gives  the  trial  such  an  issue  that 
we  are  able  to  endure  it." 

"  We  will  praise  the  Lord  with  thee,"  said 
Euphemus ;  "  but  we  too  much  reproach  our- 
selves before  Him  and  thee,  that  we  came  so  late 
at  night  to  put  thee  in  fear.  But  so,  alas  !  must 
it  be  with  fugitives." 

"  FugitivesJ"  asked  Elizabeth. 

"  Yes,   if  you   will.     Such  disorder  prevails 


-BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  93 

through  the  land — and  since  the  capture  of  Bil- 
ter  it  seems  likely  to  rage  still  more  fiercely — 
that  I  have  made  the  proposal  to  this  brother  to 
flee  with  me  to  Antioch  till  the  storm  is  past* 
To  him  the  church  in  that  place  will  prove,  I 
think,  more  than  a  mere  earthly  haven." 

"  Be  that  as  it  may,  I  greet  you  in  our  cottage 
as  angels  of  God.  Now  that  I  have  recovered 
myself,  I  tremble  almost  as  much  with  joy  at  be- 
holding once  more  brethren  and  disciples  of  the 
Lord,  as  I  did  before  with  fear.  It  is  long  since 
I  have  been  obliged  to  forego  all  visible  fellow- 
ship  with  the  saints  ;  but  how  precious  to  me  is 
communion  with  the  members  of  the  Lord's  body  I 
But  first  refresh  yourselves." 

Lea  had  then  to  bring  water  for  washing 
their  feet,  and  bread,  milk,  and  fruit,  the  best  that 
the  cottage  furnished. 

When  the  guests  had  satisfied  themselves, 
Elizabeth  inquired  after  the  state  of  things  in 
the  country. 

Euphemus  related  the  arrival  of  Julius  Seve- 
rus ;  how,  like  an  experienced  general,  in  order 
to  spare  his  already  exhausted  troops,  he  had  com- 
menced his  military  operations  on  a  small  scale, 
routing  detached  bodies  of  troops  one  after  ano- 
ther, and  reducing  the  smaller  cities  by  hunger, 


94  LEA,    OR    THE 

until  at  length  he  had  made  himself  master  of 
JEiia.  Capitolina.  Tinius  Rufus,  meanwhile,  find- 
ing himself  placed  in  security  by  the  victorious 
chief,  was  proceeding  with  his  accustomed  cru- 
elty. In  all  places  the  disciples  of  the  Lord 
found  themselves  between  two  enemies,  the  ad- 
herents of  the  false  Messiah  and  the  cruel  Ro- 
mans. They  wTere  treated  by  both  as  adversaries, 
which  had  already  occasioned  many  apostasies. 
Barchocheba  had  at  length  thrown  himself  into 
the  fortress  of  Bilter ;  Julius  Severus  laid  siege 
to  it,  and  having  subdued  it  by  famine,  after  a 
long  resistance,  had  made  a  horrible  massacre  of 
the  inhabitants.  On  the  day  of  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  in  later 
times  by  Titus — the  ninth  day  of  the  month  Ab 
— on  that  same  day  had  Bilter  also  fallen.  The 
insurgents  had  at  last  been  undeceived,  and  had 
themselves  put  to  death  Barchocheba,  their  false 
Messiah.  As  for  the  Rabbi  Akiba,  the  Romans 
had  flayed  him  alive  with  iron  combs,  and  burnt 
up  his  pupils  along  with  their  books.  The  child- 
ren, whom,  a  short  time  previous,  the  Romans 
had  demanded,  and  threatened  to  slay  them  with 
their  knives,  were  made  the  cruel  sport  of  the 
soldiery — three  hundred  children's  heads  were 
dashed  upon  one  stone.     In  all,  not  less  than 


'    BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  95 

eleven  hundred  thousand  Jews  had  perished. 
M\\a  Capitolina  was  now  levelled  with  the 
ground,  nearly  fifty  strongholds  destroyed,  and 
over  nine  hundred  towns  and  villages  laid  in 
ashes.  Imagination  can  conceive  nothing  more 
terrible  than  what  had  actually  happened.  All 
Judea  was  a  dreary  waste.  No  place  could  pro- 
mise safety,  and  flight  furnished  the  last  means 
of  securing  life  and  liberty. 

Elizabeth  and  Lea  had  not  imagined  so  fear- 
ful a  result  of  this  frantic  undertaking.  Elizabeth 
lamented  over  the  sad  fate  of  her  people,  to 
whom  such  great  promises  had  been  given  ;  but 
Lea  soon  recovered  herself,  and  rejoiced  over 
the  speedy  downfall  of  the  pretended  Messiah. 

The  attention  of  Euphemus's  companion  was 
thus  directed  to  her,  and  he  asked,  "  Who  is  the 
maiden,  thy  daughter,  Elizabeth  ?  " 

Elizabeth  briefly  related  to  him  her  story ;  and 
when  he  heard  that  she  was  a  daughter  of  Abra- 
ham,  and  from  the  city  of  Capernaum,  he  said  : 

"  0,  then,  she  is  one  of  us." 

"  Who  art  thou,  then,  dear  brother  ?  "  inquired 
Elizabeth. 

"  I  am  of  the  tribe  of  Levi.  Rabbi  Akiba  was 
my  instructor  in  the  law  and  the  traditions  ;  and 
if  you  are  acquainted  with  the  famous  Tryphon, 


96  LEA,   OR    THE 

I  must  inform  you  that  he  was  my  most  intimate 
friend.  But  as  I  sought  for  light,  it  rose  upon 
me ;  I  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  promised  Messiah. 
And  although  I  have  long  since  forsaken  Rabbi 
Akiba,  I  must  yet  thank  him  for  this — that  he 
has  instructed  me  in  the  important  knowledge  of 
the  law.  On  this  point,  however,  as  well  as  on 
another,  intimately  connected  with  it,  we  shall 
not,  perhaps,  as  fully  agree,  as  in  the  belief  that 
Jesus  is  the  Messiah." 

"  Thou  see'st,  dear  sister,"  said  Euphemus, 
"  that  here,  in  this  Galilean  cottage,  are  met  to- 
gether, in  three  persons,  the  representatives  of 
the  three  different  opinions*  respecting  the  law 
which  still  prevail  in  the  churches  of  the  saints. 
Our  brother  here  cannot  jbrget  that  he  has  been 
a  Levite,  and  is  anxious  that  we  poor  Gentiles, 
when  we  become  Christians,  should  also  become 
Jews,  if  no  more  than  proselytes  of  the  gate. 
Thou,  worthy  Elizabeth,  availest  thyself  of  the 
Apostles'  permission,  that  Jews  by  birth,  although 
they  have  become  believers,  may  continue  to  ob- 
serve the  law.  But  it  becomes  me,  as  a  Gentile 
convert,  and  a  pupil  of  Justin,f  to  be  simply  a 
Christian,  acknowledging  no  obligation  to  the 
ceremonial  law  of  Moses." 
*  See  Appendix,  note  F.  f  See  Appendix,  note  G= 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  97 

All  smiled,  and  Elizabeth  inquired,  "  Who  is 
this  Justin  ?" 

"  You  must  certainly  have  seen  him  when  you 
were  with  us  in  Sichem,"  said  Euphemus.  "  You 
have  only  forgotten  it.  He  was  the  brother  who 
went  about  in  the  mantle  of  a  pagan  philosopher. 
For  having  previously  worn  its  as  the  pupil  of 
human  wisdom,  he  now  continued  to  wear  it,  as 
a  means  of  obtaining  a  readier  entrance  for  the 
proclamation  of  the  Gospel.  A  remarkable  man, 
indeed,  is  Justin.  He  had  made  trial  of  all  the 
schools  of  philosophy,  and  at  last  devoted  him- 
self to  that  of  Plato ;  when,  as  he  was  walking 
thoughtfully  by  the  sea,  there  appeared  to  him 
an  ancient  man,  probably  of  celestial  nature,  who 
directed  him  to  Christ.  He  too  has  now  fled 
from  the  war,  and  has  gone  to  Athens.  He  has 
long  been  meditating  a  work  in  defence  of  the 
Gospel,  against  all  pagan  philosophers  and 
powers.  Him  and  his  philosopher's  mantle  must 
I  thank  that  I  know  the  Lord.  But  we  are 
weary.     Direct  us  to  our  couches." 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Nothing  produces  so  entire  a  change  of  cha= 
racterin  man,  as  the  consciousness  of  the  presence 
of  the  Divine. : 

This  was  seen  in  Lea.  Her  hasty,  forward 
manner,  with  something  to  say  on  every  occasion, 
had  disappeared.  Her  voluble  tongue  seemed 
fettered  by  a  higher  power.  The  kindly,  art- 
less, and  obliging  temper  remained  \  but  the  often 
wearisome  restlessness,  instability,  and  heedless- 
ness, were  seen  no  longer.  Once  she  could  not 
have  listened  to  a  conversation,  so  interesting  to 
her,  without  putting  in  remarks  of  her  own.  But 
now  it  had  become  as  hard  a  task  for  her  not  to 
be  silent  as  formerly  not  to  speak.  She  felt  as 
if  moving  constantly  under  the  open  eye  of 
Christ;  his  spirit  breathed  upon  her  from  the 
meek  and  reverential  demeanor  of  Elizabeth,  and 
the  deeper  her  inward  happiness  became,  the 
more  repressed  was  the  outward  expression  of 
her  feelings.  She  confessed  to  herself  that  she 
was  now,  for  the  first  time,  conscious  of  the  Di- 


EAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  99 

vine  presence,  and  that  formerly,  even  when  she 
had  prayed  to  Jehovah,  she  had  always  conceived 
of  Him  as  afar  off. 

As  she  awoke  on  the  following  morning  with 
these  thoughts,  the  question  arose  in  her  mind, 
she  knew  not  how,  whether  she  should  call  what 
she  experienced  in  her  heart  Jehovah's  presence, 
or  the  presence  of  Christ.  She  felt  that  the  an- 
swer to  this  inquiry  was  still  necessary  to  the 
clear  understanding  of  what  she  thus  experienc- 
ed, and  therefore  longed  to  question  her  mother 
on  the  subject ;  but  she  restrained  herself  on  re- 
flecting that  Elizabeth  might  regard  it  as  an  at- 
tempt, not  very  becoming  in  a  maiden,  to  rival 
the  critical  sagacity  displayed  by  their  guests  on 
the  preceding  evening. 

Her  mother  remarked  a  struggle  in  Lea's  feel- 
ings, and  gave  her  opportunity  to  disclose  the 
cause  of  her  uneasiness. 

Lea  ventured  to  do  so  at  last,  and  Elizabeth 
proposed  to  ask  the  opinion  of  their  visitors,  who 
better  understood  such  points.  She  reluctantly 
consented,  and  after  breakfast  Elizabeth  asked 
the  men  for  their  decision. 

"  It  admits  of  no  doubt,"  exclaimed  the  Levite 
hastily,  "that  it  is  the  presence  of  Jehovah.  There 
is  but  one  God.     '  Hear,  O  Israel,  thou  shalt  have 


100  LEA,    OR    THE 

no  other  gods  but  me.'     That  is  the  first  com- 
mandment." 

"  But  wherever  Jehovah  is  named  in  the  Old 
Testament,  it  is  always  the  Son  of  God  who  is 
meant,"  replied  Euphemus,  with  earnest  de- 
cision. 

"  The  Messiah  is  only  man,"  said  the  Levite, 
"  and  as  such  he  is  called  by  eminence  the  Son 
of  God." 

Elizabeth  shuddered, — Euphemus  shook  his 
head. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  your  denial  proved,"  said 
the  Levite. 

"  That  will  be  no  hard  task,"*  returned  Euphe- 
mus. "  When  Moses,  describing  the  destruction 
of  Sodom,  says,  'Then 'rained  Jehovah  fire  and 
brimstone  from  Jehovah  f  or  when  in  the  Psalms 
David  says,  '  Jehovah  said  to  my  Lord :'  is  it 
not  then  the  Messiah  who  is  spoken  of?  Does 
not  Micah  say  that  his  goings  forth  are  from  of 
old,  from  everlasting,  that  he  is  therefore  eternal  ? 
Does  not  the  greatest  of  the  prophets  ask,  '  Who 
shall  declare  His  generation?'  Is  it  not  He  that 
in  the  proverbs  of  Solomon  is  spoken  of  as  essen- 
tial, primeval  wisdom  ?  Whom  are  we  to  regard 
as  the  eternal  Word,  if  not  the  Son  of  God  who 
appeared  in  the  Messiah  ?  You  hold  with  us 
*  See  Appendix,  note  H. 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN,  101 

that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.  Hare  you  never  heard 
that  he  said  of  himself,  '  I  and  the  Father  are 
one/  that  the  Jews  thereupon  accused  him  of 
making  himself  equal  with  God.  and  that  he 
died  because  he  admitted  the  truth  of  the  ac- 
cusation V 

The  Levite  grew  visibly  uneasy,  and  tried  to 
cut  short  the  discussion.  "  All  those  passages," 
said  he,  "  were  explained  to  us  differently  by 
Akiba.  But  here  is  not  the  place  to  investigate 
the  subject.  When  Jerusalem  is  rebuilt,  Christ 
will  return  and  establish  his  thousand  years' 
reign*  upon  the  earth,  and  then  he  will  instruct 
us  on  this  point." 

Euphemus  seemed  to  follow  his  digression,  and 
entering  upon  the  new  topic,  he  said,  "  But  you 
must  certainly  know,  and  will  pardon  a  Gentile 
Christian  for  reminding  you  of  it  in  his  own  favor, 
that  all  Israel  shall  then  first  be  saved,  when  the 
fullness  of  the  Gentiles  is  gathered  in." 

"  That  is  your  standing  theme,  which  you  re- 
peat after  Paul,  the  renegade  from  the  law,"  said 
the  Levite,  forcing  a  smile ;  "  but  where,  then, 
are  all  the  great  promises  which  have  been  given 
to  Israel  V 

"  We  Christians  are  the  true  Israel,"  returned 
Euphemus,  "  and,  as  my  teacher,  Justin,  said 
•  See  Appendix,  note  I. 


102  LEA,    OR    THE 

once,  on  a  similar  occasion, '  you  have  need  of 
our  circumcision,  but  we  Lave  no  need  of  yours.'  " 

"  But  God  himself  gave  us  the  law,  and  so- 
lemnly established  it." 

"  On  that  point  let  me  say  this  to  you :  God, 
on  Mount  Sinai,  gave,  on  the  third  day,  the  ten 
commandments,  then  the  civil  laws,  and  lastly, 
the  ceremonial  laws.  These  last,  it  is  perfectly 
clear,  are  all  of  a  typical  nature,  and  must  end 
w7hen  that  comes  which  they  prefigure.  The 
second  ceased  with  the  Jewish  state;  but  the 
first  remains  binding  upon  all  men.  The  Apos- 
tles decided  thus  in  the  assembly  at  Jerusalem  ; 
and  this  decision,  made  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  is  the  example  by  which  we  should 
learn,  in  everything,  to  separate  the  divine  and 
human,  and  to  follow  that  only  which  the  word 
of  God  expressly  requires  of  us.  What  sayest 
thou  to  this,  Elizabeth  1" 

"  Since  thou  askest  me  I  am  bound  to  give 
thee  a  frank  answer,"  replied  she.  "  And  it  is 
this — that  Lea  and  I  cannot  conceive  how  you 
men  can  trouble  yourselves  with  such  hair-split- 
ting distinctions,  which  are  the  offspring  of  your 
own  reason.  As  for  us,  it  is  more  in  love  and 
faith  that  we  hold  Christ  to  be  our  God ;  we  call 
him  Jehovah,  pray  to  him,  and  love  him.  This 
is  to  us,  as  to  Mary,  the  one  thing  needful." 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  103 

The  men  smiled,  and  pronounced  them  happy 
in  their  faith. 

Lea,  however,  was  much  gratified  with  hav- 
ing been  present  at  the  conversation.  Her  heart 
had  been  already  won  for  Christ ;  and  therefore 
it  was  enough  for  her  understanding  that  Euphe- 
mus,  to  wThom  she  had  felt  herself,  from  the  very 
first,  the  more  strongly  drawn,  had  gained  the 
victory.  Now,  it  seemed  to  her,  the  light  had 
reached  her  understanding  also. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

The  day  flowed  by  in  gentle  blessing  to  the 
inmates  of  the  little  cottage.  The  air  of  peace 
which  breathed  in  this  spot  shed  its  mild  influ- 
ence likewise  over  their  visitors,  accustomed  to  live 
amidst  the  strife  cf  words  and  a  rms.  "Here," 
they  exclaimed  again  and  again,  "  here,  if  any- 
where on  earth,  is  the  abode  of  God  with  man  ¥' 

It  grieved  them  that  they  were  able  to  remain 
this  day  only,  and  that  w7ith  the  morning  light 
they  must  again  be  on  their  way.  Euphemus, 
with  his  sprightly  Grecian  temperament,  was 
chiefly  attracted  to  Lea  ;  while  the  Levite  found 
most  satisfaction  in  the  conversation  of  Elizabeth. 
Most  of  the  day  wTas  spent,  either  on  the  threshold 
of  the  cottage,  on  the  turf  beneath  the  terebinth, 
or  on  the  peak  of  the  mountain,  under  the  palms, 
in  full  prospect  of  that  beautiful  and  hallowed 
landscape.  Here  they  could  discern  soldiers,  fu- 
gitives, and  troops  of  travellers,  hurrying  along 
the  Way  of  the   Sea  ;  and  the  more  unquiet  it 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  105 

seemed  abroad,  the  more  deeply  did  their  hearts 
rejoice  in  the  still  and  holy  repose  of  this  citadel 
of  peace.  Accordingly,  no  one  ventured  to  re- 
new the  dispute  upon  points  of  faith.  In  this 
atmosphere  of  peace  and  love  every  word  of  strife 
died  upon  the  tongue.  The  whole  day  they  spoke 
only  of  Christ,  the  friend  of  sinners  and  of  the 
poor;  they  recalled  this  or  that  imperishable 
word  which  he  had  uttered  in  one  or  another  of 
the  places  which  lay  in  their  sight,  and  each  one 
had  something  to  relate  of  what  he  had  himself 
experienced  of  the  truth  and  grace  of  his  Lord. 

i:  Oh,  if  it  is  always  thus  in  the  intercourse  of 
the  Nazarenes,"  cried  Lea,  "  would  that  I 
might  become  one  of  their  number !  Such  a  life 
and  such  communion  is  indeed  a  heaven  upon 
earth ! " 

The  visitors  proposed  to  Elizabeth  to  forsake 
the  mountain,  in  this  disturbed  and  perilous  time, 
and  to  flee  with  them  to  Antioch,  which  was  free 
from  war. 

Elizabeth  declared  that  she  could  not  forsake 
the  turf  of  her  sainted  husband,  the  graves  of  her 
kindred,  and  the  sight  of  the  house  of  miracle  in 
Cana. 

"  But  to  make  amends  for  that,"  said  Euphe- 
mus,  "  you  will  there  become  acquainted  with 
7 


106  LEA,   OR    THE- 

the  city  where  Peter,  your  apostle  of  circumcv- 
sion,  chiefly  resided." 

"  Take  it  not  ill,  dear  brother,"  replied  Eliza- 
beth, "  thou  knowest  how  earnestly  I  strive  to 
honor  the  decision  of  the  Apostles  :  I  love  the 
Gentile  Christians  as  my  brethren.  But  yet  the 
neglect  of  the  law  on  the  part  of  those  who  form 
the  majority  of  the  church  in  Antioch,  would 
prove  a  stumbling-block  to  me.  Leave  us  here  ! 
the  Lord,  who  has  hitherto  protected  us,  the 
guardian  of  Israel,  of  the  true  Israel,  sleeps  not, 
nor  slumbers." 

The  brethren  urged  their  proposal  no  farther. 
Early  on  the  following  morning  they  commended 
to  the  Lord  this  peaceful  cottage,  prayed  with 
their  kind  hostesses,  and  set  out  in  the  direction 
of  the  Way  of  the  Sea. 

The  Greek  turned  as  he  reached  the  threshold, 
and  said  to  Lea,  "  Our  road  leads  through  Ti- 
berias.    Hast  thou  any  message  for  that  city  V 

"  Carry  to  my  enemies  the  salutation  of  peace," 
answered  Lea.  "  Say  to  them,  that  the  Lord 
hath  done  all  things  well.  And  as  they  are  now? 
doubtless,  involved  in  the  ruin  of  Barchocheba's 
followers,  entreat  them  to  flee  for  refuge  with 
their  poor  Lea,  to  the  Messiah  of  the  miserable, 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  107 

who  has  said, '  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in 
no  wise  cast  out.'  " 

Elizabeth  extended  her  hand  to  the  brethren, 
and  said,  "  Disciples  of  the  Lord  never  see  each 
other  for  the  last  time  !  Farewell !  Pray  for  us ! 
We  shall  pray  for  you  !" 

They  parted.  Tears  were  in  the  eyes  of  all. 
Elizabeth  and  Lea  looked  after  the  travellers 
till  they  could  no  longer  distinguish  them,  as  they 
proceeded  along  the  Way  of  the  Sea, 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

r  Once  more  alone,  the  accustomed  quiet  of  their 
life  returned.  Lea  rose  first  every  morning  to 
prepare  breakfast  for  her  mother ;  then  they 
read,  in  their  favorite  retreat,  the  gospel  of  Mat* 
thew,  went  through  their  household  duties,  sung 
a  Psalm,  and  gazed  at  the  descending  sun  from 
the  threshold  of  the  cottage. 

During  the  visit  of  the  brethren,  Lea's  con* 
victions  had  attained  greater  certainty  and  assur- 
ance ;  and  as  these  increased,  the  loveliness  of 
her  disposition  developed  itself  in  proportion,  and 
a  moral  steadfastness  gained  the  ascendency  over 
the  apparent  volatility  of  her  nature. 

In  another  point  of  view,  Elizabeth  also  had 
gained  in  firmness.  She  could  not  forget  how 
her  unbelief  had  been  rebuked  on  that  evening 
when  her  fearful  heart  received  as  foes  those 
whom  the  Lord  had  sent  to  strengthen  her.  That, 
she  resolved,  should  never  happen  to  her  again. 
She  exerted  all  her  energy  to  remain  calm  and 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  109 

unmoved,  and — so  weak  is  ever  the  human  heart, 
and  in  danger,  whithersoever  it  turns,  of  depart- 
ing from  the  Lord — she  even  forgot  to  pray  for 
protection.  When  she  applied  to  her  Saviour,  in 
regard  to  all  her  other  wants,  this  hardly  once 
came  into  her  mind ;  and  if  she  noticed  the  omis- 
sion, she  rejoiced  at  her  forgetfulness,  and  erro- 
neously took  it  for  a  proof  of  her  strong  faith. 

One  morning  they  were  both  awaked  by  a 
violent  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  cottage. 
Lea  shrunk  with  terror  at  the  sound.  Elizabeth 
too  was  alarmed  for  a  moment,  but  she  soon  re- 
covered her  courage,  threw  her  garments  hastily 
ar  und  her,  and  opened  the  door. 

But  they  were  no  brothers  whom  she  now  saw. 
Before  her  stood  a  troop  of  frantic  Jews,  who, 
having  been  robbed  themselves,  now  resorted  to 
robbery  under  cover  of  the  general  confusion. 
They  had  pitched  hoops,  burning  torches,  swords, 
and  axes  in  their  hands,  and  poured  out  torrents 
of  abuse,  threats,  and  imprecations. 

"  Ha !  thou  old  Nazarene  jade  !"  they  cried, 
"  think  you,  that  you  enemies  of  Israel,  you 
friends  of  the  Romans,  you  authors  of  all  trouble 
in  Israel,  shall  alone  escape  in  the  universal 
misery  1  Out  now,  with  all  which  you  possess !" 

Several  rushed  into  the  cottage,  threw  out  all 


110  LEA,    OR    THE 

the  moveables,  and  furiously  demanded  of  the 
half-stupified  females  their  hidden  treasure. 

Lea  clung  speechless  to  her  mother,  who  de- 
clared, that  the  cottage,  and  what  had  now  been 
brought  out,  constituted  the  whole  of  her  poor 
possessions. 

"  Well,  then,"  cried  the  frantic  wretches,  "  let 
the  dwelling  of  the  cursed  Nazarene  go  up  in 
smoke !  It  shall  fare  no  better  with  that  than 
with  the  palaces  in  Bilter,  Jamnia,  and  Tiberias." 

At  once  lighted  pitch  hoops  were  hurled  upon 
the  roof  of  reeds.  In  an  instant  the  clear  flame 
flared  up,  and  the  fierce  glow  spread  through  the 
whole  tenement,  and  seized  upon  the  neighbor- 
ing palms ;  the  wild  howl  of  the  robbers  min- 
gling with  the  crackling  of  the  flames. 

Elizabeth's  soul  was  overwhelmed.  It  seemed 
to  her  that  this  wild  uproar  only  called  to  her  in 
mockery,  "  Where  is  now  thy  God  1 "  Scarcely 
conscious,  she  sunk  upon  her  knees,  exclaiming, 
"Lord  Jesus,  my  Saviour!1'  Lea  sunk  beside 
her  on  the  ground,  and  called  with  her  upon 
Christ. 

WThen  the  fierce  robbers  saw  them  kneeling, 
and  heard  them  invoke  the  name  of  Jesus,  they 
grew  still  more  frantic.  "  Strike  her  dead  !  Send 
the  blasphemer  to  hell !"  they  cried  on  all  sides. 


"BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  Ill 

A  wretch,  with  distorted  features,  sprang  for- 
ward, and,  with  all  his  force,  swung  high  the 
pole  which  lay  upon  his  arm,  in  order  to  bring  it 
down  upon  his  victim.  Lea  perceived  it,  and 
starting  up,  bowed  herself  over  her  kneeling  mo- 
ther, and  covered  her  with  her  body.  The  blow 
fell  upon  Lea  ;  she  sunk  senseless  to  the  ground. 

At  this  instant  Roman  war  cries  were  heard, 
and  the  place  was  suddenly  filled  with  Roman 
soldiers.  A  centurion  was  at  their  head.  After 
a  short  resistance  the  robbers  betook  themselves 
to  flight. 

By  the  side  of  the  unconscious  Lea  knelt  Eli- 
zabeth, and  seemed  no  longer  to  perceive  what 
was  going  on  around  her.  The  smoke  from  the 
ruins  of  the  cottage  enveloped  them.  Around 
them  flew  cinders  from  the  burning  palm  trees. 
The  clanking  of  swords,  the  cry  of  the  soldiery, 
sounded  through  the  air.  But  she  was  unaffected 
by  it  all.  Her  glance  seemed  to  pierce  the 
clouds.  Her  countenance  beamed  with  a  celes- 
tial peace,  and,  at  intervals,  she  breathed  confid- 
ingly the  name  of  Jesus  ! 

The  robbers  had  fled :  a  part  of  the  soldiers 
pursued  them.  Just  as  Lea  was  coming  to  her- 
self the  centurion  approached  Elizabeth  with 
deep  respect     He  had  heard  the  name  of  Jesus, 


112  LEA,    OR    THE    BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN, 

and  his  martial  mien  softened  into  an  expression 
of  gentleness  and  sympathy.  He  commanded 
the  soldiers  to  lay  Lea  down  upon  the  turf,  and 
led  Elizabeth  to  her. 

"  Be  not  afraid  !"  said  he  to  them  both.  "  I 
also  am  a  disciple  of  the  Lord.  Whither  shall 
I  conduct  yon,  for  here  you  can  remain  no 
longer  ?" 

Elizabeth  could  not,  on  the  instant,  resolve 
what  to  do. 

"  I  will  have  you  conducted  to  Pella  then,  to 
the  church,  to  the  place  of  refuge  which  the  Lord 
himself  has  appointed." 

"  Yes,  to  Pella,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  P' 
said  Elizabeth. 

The  centurion  gave  orders  to  some  Christian 
soldiers  belonging  to  his  band,  who  conducted 
them  over  Bethsean  into  the  country  beyond 
Jordan,  till  at  length  they  reached  Pella  in  Gilead, 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

With  difficulty  they  at  last  reached  the  church 
of  the  saints  in  Pella. 

Lea  had  received  no  outward  injury.  The 
first  day,  in  the  indescribable  agitation  of  her 
mind,  she  had  felt  nothing  of  the  consequences  of 
the  blow.  But  when  she  had  seated  herself  in 
the  boat  at  Tarichea,  and  was  proceeding  dowTn 
the  Jordan  to  Bethsean,  the  fever  of  her  blood 
abated,  she  became  more  conscious  of  her  real 
state,  and  could  not  conceal  from  herself  that  she 
had  received  some  internal  injury.  She  refrain- 
ed, for  her  mother's  sake,  from  mentioning  it  to 
her  conductors.  It  had  been  a  sore  trial  to  Eli- 
zabeth to  forsake  the  hill  where  her  cottage  had 
stood,  the  turf  seat  from  which  could  be  seen  the 
house  of  miracle  in  Cana,  and  Lea  could  not  add 
another  sorrow  by  the  communication  of  her  own 
misfortune.  She  exerted  all  her  energy  to  per- 
form the  journey  on  foot  with  the  others  through 
the  hills  of  Bashan.    Her  mind  was  refreshed  by 


114  LEA,    OR    THE 

the  enchanting  views  from  the  heights,  by  the 
sight  of  the  rich  forest  shades,  by  recollections 
from  the  history  of  her  people — by  prayer.  Thus 
striving  with  uneasiness  and  exhaustion,  she  drag- 
ged herself  along  as  far  as  Ophrah. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  they  arrived. 
The  moment  she  stepped  into  the  caravansera 
she  fell  upon  a  couch,  and  her  heart  foreboded 
that  she  should  not  soon  leave  it.  A  thousand 
times,  in  the  night,  she  thought  of  the  story  of 
Gideon,  and  of  the  Lord's  commission,  "  Go  in 
this  thy  strength,  I  have  sent  thee."  She  was 
ready  to  go,  like  the  warlike  champion,  who 
threw  down  the  altars  of  Baal  and  smote  the 
Midianites ;  she  too  felt  in  herself  a  strength,  but 
it  was  not  of  the  body.  In  the  morning  she  at- 
tempted to  rise,  but  could  not.  She  was  laid 
upon  a  litter,  and  carried  by  the  soldiers  through 
the  mountains  of  Bashan  and  Gilead  to  Pella. 
It  was  fortunate  that  the  soldiers  were  brethren, 
themselves  longing  to  meet  the  church,  and  per- 
forming with  joy  this  service  for  their  future 
sister. 

The  soldiers  sang  psalms  over  the  sick  maiden, 
and  Elizabeth  followed  praying  behind  the  litter. 
In  this  manner  they  entered  Pella. 

A  crowd  of  brethren  and  sisters  were  awaiting- 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  115 

them  at  the  gate.  The  soldiers  had  sent  forward 
the  intelligence  of  their  arrival,  and  that  of  Eli- 
zabeth, who  was  known  in  Pella.  The  litter  was 
set  down  in  the  gate.  Elizabeth  was  received 
by  the  women  and  the  soldiers  by  the  men,  with 
the  kiss  of  peace.  That  public  gate  was  as  the 
entrance  to  a  father's  house.  The  citizens  seemed 
like  kinsmen.  They  lamented  over  the  sick  young 
stranger,  and  pressed  forward  with  offers  of  assist- 
ance. The  name  of  Christ,  repeated  from  mouth 
to  mouth,  was  like  a  word  of  magic,  which  open- 
ed the  heart  and  united  the  spirit  of  the  whole 
assembly. 

Several  aged  women  were  soon  to  be  remark- 
ed around  the  sick  maiden,  who  were  called  dea- 
conesses. They  were  all  above  sixty  years  old ; 
and,  as  Lea  afterwards  learned,  wrere  widows, 
who  had  been  but  once  married,  had  brought  up 
children,  and  had,  in  all  respects,  demeaned 
themselves  in  a  blameless  manner.  With  the 
blessing  of  such  a  life,  and  the  experience  of 
such  an  old  age,  they  were  deemed  worthy  to 
receive,  through  the  laying  on  of  hands,  an  office 
in  which  they  were  to  serve  Christ  in  the  person 
of  their  sick,  poor,  and  inexperienced  sisters. 

Lea  and  Elizabeth  were  received  into  the 
house  of  one  of  the  deaconesses,  who  was  a  rich 
and  honorable  widow. 


116  LEA,    OR    THE 

"  Thanks  be  'to  the  Lord  !"  said  the  deacon- 
ess, as  Lea  lay  quietly  on  the  couch  in  the  Ar- 
mon,  while  Elizabeth  sat  beside  her.  u  He  has 
given  you  to  us.  The  other  deaconesses  desired, 
as  much  as  myself,  the  privilege  of  ministering 
to  you,  but  the  Lord  has  himself  decided  it  by 
lot.  No  strife,  therefore,  has  arisen  among  them, 
and  I  have  the  assurance  that  you  are  sent  to  me 
by  the  Lord." 

"  May  he  also  grant  us  his  grace,  that  we  may 
show  thee,  by  our  demeanor,  that  he  has  sent  us 
to  thee,"  said  Elizabeth.  "  His  finger  has  been 
plainly  manifest  in  conducting  us  hither." 

The  deaconess  seated  herself  beside  them,  and 
Elizabeth  related  the  story  of  her  false  security, 
and  how  the  Lord,  whose  protection  she  had 
neglected  to  seek  in  this  time  of  danger,  had 
suffered  her  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  her  ene- 
mies ;  and  how  Lea,  forgetful  of  her  own  life, 
had  thought  only  of  saving  her  mother,  and  had 
thereby  suffered  so  great  misfortune. 

"  Welcome  then  to  me,  as  a  martyr  of  love," 
said  the  deaconess,  "  if  thou  art  not  yet  deemed 
wTorthy  to  be  a  martyr  of  the  faith.  I  salute 
thee  as  my  sister !" 

"  Oh,  put  me  not  so  to  the  blush !"  cried  Lea. 
"  That   is  the   highest  of  all  earthly  names  of 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  11? 

honor.  By  that  precious  name  Euphemus  ad- 
dressed my  second  mother.  But  1  am  not  yet 
worthy  of  this  high  distinction.  Pray  for  me, 
that  the  Lord  may  yet,  before  I  die,  count  me 
worthy  of  baptism." 

"  Is  she  not  then  thy  daughter  V9  said  the  dea- 
coness to  Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth  briefly  related  her  story.  When 
she  mentioned  Lea's  parents,  and  Capernaum 
as  her  birth-place,  the  deaconess  changed  color, 
and  seemed  to  be  greatly  agitated.  To  the  sur- 
prise of  her  guests  she  then  sunk  upon  her  knees 
and  prayed.  With  tears  of  joy  she  arose,  and 
embracing  Lea,  said,  "lam  thine  aunt,  whom, 
fifty  years  ago,  thy  cruel  uncle  drove  from  the 
house  of  thy  grandfather,  as  he  has  now  driven 
thee.  Oh,  that  we  should  meet  here,  and  be  united 
under  the  banner  of  the  cross  ! " 

Both  wept  in  inexpressible  happiness,  and 
praised  the  Lord,  in  whose  church  the  lost  are 
found  again. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Lea  was  nursed  with  the  most  tender  love. 

The  aunt  lavished  on  her  only  relative  the 
whole  store  of  domestic  affections  so  lon^  locked 
up  in  her  own  heart,  and  repaid  to  the  afflicted 
child  all  the  tenderness  which  she  had  owed  her 
from  her  birth.  Even  in  the  bosom  of  the  church 
she  had  felt  the  deprivation  of  kindred  ;  and  since 
the  loss  of  her  own  children  it  had  been  her  daily 
prayer,  that  some  one  at  least  of  her  numerous 
family  might  be  turned  to  the  Lord,  and  thus  re- 
stored to  herself. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  mother  sought  to  re- 
quite her  daughter's  heroic  sacrifice.  Often  did 
she  burst  into  tears  at  the  thought,  that  for  her 
sin  the  dear  child  must  thus  suffer  in  her  tender 
years;  and  scarcely  could  she  take  comfort  in 
the  suggestion  of  the  deaconess,  that,  in  this  re- 
spect, the  church  imitates  the  blessed  Saviour 
himself — one  suffering  joyfully  the  punishment 
due  to  the  fault  of  another. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN',  119 

Thus  tended,  Lea  recovered  apace  ;  and  her 
amendment  would  have  been  still  more  rapid, 
had  not  the  terrors  of  that  day  of  violence  so 
affected  even  her  physical  frame,  that  she  could 
seldom  pass  a  night  without  frightful  and  dis- 
tracting dreams. 

The  aged  matrons  watched  every  night  in  the 
sick  chamber,  and  often  when  they  saw  uneasi- 
ness come  over  her,  they  would  fall  on  their  knees 
beside  her  couch  and  pray  for  her.  If  she  then 
awaked,  in  the  first  transport  of  joy  that  it  was 
only  a  dream  which  had  so  terrified  her,  she 
called  those  watching  friends  her  guardian  angels. 
Once,  when  she  had  again  fallen  asleep,  Eliza- 
beth said,  "  She  is  perhaps  right  in  a  certain 
sense  ;  for  the  angels  too  have  indeed  their  charge 
as  watchers  around  us;  and  when  we,  tormented 
with  care  and  anxiety,  are  affrighted  and  weep, 
and  shriek  out  like  children,  they  gently  hush  us, 
and  breathe  into  our  hearts  their  own  feeling  of 
security  and  confidence." 

"  Oh,  how  often,"  replied  her  friend,  "may  they 
smile  at  our  childish  fears,  which  too  are  but 
dreams,  and  press  our  hand  as  we  do  the  dear 
child's." 

"  Could  we  but  compose  ourselves  as  easily  as 
Lea  does,  when  she  sees  that  she  has  only  dream- 
ed !"  added  Elizabeth. 


120  LEA,    OR    THE 

Another  frightful  vision  meanwhile  had  arisen 
before  Lea's  fancy.  She  thought  her  mother 
again  in  clanger,  and  shrieked,  "  0  spare  my  mo- 
ther, ye  madmen  !  Know  ye  not  that  when  I 
was  a  forsaken  orphan  she  took  me  to  herself? 
Slay  me,  but  let  my  mother  live !" 

This  was  too  much  for  Elizabeth.  The  child's 
affection  only  brought  to  her  view  her  own  sins, 
and,  sobbing,  she  hastened  to  another  apartment 
to  confide  her  sorrows  to  her  Saviour,  to  sigh  out 
the  pang  too  tender  and  too  deep  for  words,  and  to 
entreat  his  help. 

The  help  came.  It  came  to  Elizabeth,  for 
she  learnt  by  experience  that  the  more  tender 
is  the  conscience  in  intercourse  with  Him  who  is 
righteousness  itself,  the  more  deeply  will  the  con- 
solation of  forgiveness  sink  into  the  heart ;  and 
that  in  this  intercourse,  love  is  a  plant  which  at- 
tains its  growth  only  through  the  dew  of  tears. 
It  came  to  Lea ;  for  with  each  day  her  body  in- 
creased in  strength,  and  her  spirit  grew  more 
joyful  in  hope  and  failh,  so  that  in  a  few  weeks 
she  was  already  moving  cheerfully  about  the 
house. 

The  deaconesses  exercised  also  a  spiritual 
watch  over  the  female  part  of  the  church,  for 
they  were  nurses  not  only  of  the  body,  but  also 


EAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  121 

of  the  soul.  Only  now  and  then  came  an  elder 
of  the  church,  more  to  rejoice  in  the  success  of 
this  work  of  love  than  to  satisfy  himself  whether 
all  was  properly  conducted. 

How  near  to  the  heart  of  the  pious  deaconess 
lay  the  eternal  welfare  of  Lea.  How  did  she 
entreat  the  Lord  that  He  would  bless  her  with 
wisdom  for  the  guidance  of  her  charge  !  How 
did  she  thank  him  for  every  new  indication  that 
Lea  was  becoming  more  confirmed  in  her  faith 
and  hope ! 

At  length  she  said  to  her  : 

"  Of  baptism  thou  hast  said  nothing  for  a  long 
time,  dear  child  !  Thou  believest  in  Jesus  the 
Messiah.  What  hinders  thee  from  desiring  the 
holy  ordinance  V 

"  Ah,  I  am  not  yet  worthy,"  answered  Lea, 
the  tears  starting  into  her  eyes. 

"  Our  bishop,"  replied  the  deaconess,  "  is  ac- 
customed to  say,  that  he  who  holds  himself  wor- 
thy of  baptism  is  unworthy  of  it ;  but  that 
conscious  unworthiness  is  a  proof  of  fitness  for 
it." 

"  That,"  returned  Lea,  "  I  cannot  compre- 
hend." 

li  But  why  then  do  you  consider  yourself  un- 
worthy of  baptism  1" 


122 


"  I  have  not  fulfilled  the  law,  and  the  law  con* 
demns  me,"  said  Lea,  in  deep  humiliation. 

"  What  law  V  inquired  the  deaconess. 

"  Oh,  the  whole  law  have  I  transgressed.  We 
can  no  longer  upon  Moriah  bring  the  offering 
for  our  sins,  and  we  are  not  permitted  to  bring  it 
elsewhere.  It  has  indeed  been  said  to  me  that 
the  prayers — which  were  once  offered  in  the 
temple — now  in  our  dispersion  and  captivity  sup- 
ply the  place  of  offerings ;  but  this  seems  to  me 
only  an  unsatisfying  evasion." 

"  Dear  child,"  replied  the  deaconess,  "  the  sa- 
crifice and  indeed  the  whole  law  were  given  by 
God  to  Israel  only  on  account  of  the  hardness  of 
their  hearts.  They  were  but  designed  to  point 
our  fathers  to  Him,  who  by  one  offering  hath  for 
ever  perfected  all  who  are  sanctified.  It  was 
long  since  said  by  Samuel  to  Saul,  that  obedience 
is  better  than  sacrifice ;  surely  then  faith,  the 
fountain  of  obedience,  is  better.  Nathan  sung 
that  the  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit." 

"  I  recollect  now  to  have  heard  something 
similar  to  this  from  Euphemus,  a  pious  brother 
who  once  visited  us  in  our  cottage.  He  said, 
however,  that  the  ten  commandments  are  still 
binding,  and  these  I  have  not  kept." 

"  Be  it  so  ;   through  the  law  was  to  come  the 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  123 

knowledge  of  sin,  and  if  thou  art  become  ac- 
quainted with  thy  sin  by  the  law,  and  desirest 
forgiveness,  then  hasten  to  Him  who  for  thee 
hath  fulfilled  the  law  and  borne  its  punishment ; 
and  then  with  other  strength  begin  anew  the 
course  of  obedience.  In  baptism  shall  this 
strength  be  given  thee." 

Lea  now  ventured  to  desire  baptism. 

Meantime  the  spirit  of  peace  which  reigned  in 
the  house  of  the  deaconess,  was  banished  from 
the  church  at  Pella.  The  two  women  often 
came  home  in  deep  affliction  from  the  assembly, 
lamenting  that  they  had  been  rather  distracted 
than  edified.  Every  new  report  which  was 
brought  to  Pella  from  iElia  Capitolina,  or  from 
the  country,  was  a  fresh  spark  of  dissension  which 
inflamed  the  parties  in  the  church  against  each 
other. 

The  matter  stood  thus.  The  Lord  had  given 
commandment  to  his  disciples,  that  when  they 
saw  the  threatened  judgment  about  to  burst  upon 
Jerusalem  they  should  flee  to  the  mountains. 
They  had  accordingly,  on  the  approach  of  Vespa- 
sian, fled  to  Pella  among  the  mountains  of  Gilead. 
On  the  appearance  of  the  false  Messiah,  this 
counsel  was  again  and  yet  more  vividly  brought 
to  mind  ;  and  the  church  at  iElia  had  removed 


124 


thither.  This  church  consisted  in  part  of  Gentile 
Christians,  but  the  majority  were  converted  Jews; 
and  these  two  parties  were  agitated  by  the  usual 
dissensions  respecting  the  observance  of  the 
law. 

The  city  had  at  length  been  rebuilt  by  com- 
mand of  the  emperor  Adrian,  but  the  Jews  were 
in  the  strictest  manner  forbidden  to  enter  it. 
Only  on  one  day  in  the  year,  the  day  of  its  over- 
throw, they  were  allowed  to  visit  the  city  for  a 
sum  of  money,  to  lament  the  folly  of  their  rebels 
lion.  In  other  respects,  also,  he  had  treated  this 
blinded  people  with  unexampled  rigor.  In  the 
market-place  beneath  the  terebinth  of  Abraham, 
at  Hebron,  and  in  that  of  Gaza,  he  had  caused 
the  captive  Jews  to  be  sold  for  paltry  sums,  and 
those  who  found  no  purchasers  he  sent  to  Egypt. 
And  for  a  still  more  bitter  mortification  to  them 
and  to  the  Christians  in  all  future  time,  he  had 
ordered  that  a  temple  of  Adonis  should  be  erected 
at  Bethlehem,  and  of  the  Capitoline  Jupiter  on 
Mount  Moriah  ;  that  on  Golgotha  an  altar  should 
be  built  to  Jupiter  and  Venus,  and  that  the  figure 
of  a  swine  should  be  set  up  over  the  gate  of  iElia 
which  led  to  Bethlehem. 

Thus  the  punishment  had  fallen  not  only  upon 
the  Jews  but  also  upon  the  Jewish  Christians, 


BAPTISM   IN   JORDAN.  125 

The  dissatisfaction  of  the  latter  was  roused  still 
more  when  the  Gentile  brethren  resolved  on  re- 
turning to  MYia,  and  planting  on  that  holy  though 
desecrated  spot  a  church  of  the  Lord,  which 
should  consist  only  of  Gentile  believers.  At  the 
same  time  that  this  dangerous  division  was  mani- 
festing itself,  the  differing  parties  among  the  Jew- 
ish Christians  themselves  were  assuming  a  hostile 
attitude  towards  each  other.  All  abhorred  the 
name  of  Christians  which  the  disciples  had  re- 
ceived in  Antioch,  and  looked  upon  it  as  the 
common  name  of  all  Gentile  believers.  But  a 
part  obstinately  insisted  that  the  Gentile  converts 
should  submit  to  the  law  \  and  as  they  moreover 
insisted  that  Jesus  was  only  a  man,  they  were 
obliged  to  withdraw  themselves,  and  received  the 
name  of  Ebionites.  The  rest,  who  adhered  to 
the  decision  of  the  Apostles,  retained  the  name  of 
Nazarenes,  and  separated  themselves  from  their 
Gentile  brethren  only  in  one  respect,  viz.  that 
they  shunned  all  intercourse  with  the  Gentiles, 
which  was  prohibited  by  the  law. 

By  these  divisions  was  the  church  of  the  Lord 
rent,  particularly  in  Pella,  Cochaba,  and  the  Sy- 
rian city  Berrhea;  for  in  these  places  the 
Jewish  converts  were  predominant.  In  other 
churches  where  Gentile  Christians  were  most  nu- 


126  LEA,    OK    THE  BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN, 

merous,  the  converted  Jews  accommodated  them- 
selves to  the  majority,  and  followed  the  exam- 
ple of  Peter  in  Cassarea. 

In  Pella  the  Bishop  Ariston,  in  company  with 
all  who  had  the  fullest  understanding  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  Gospel,  strove  hard  to  preserve  the 
peace  of  the  church.  But  their  efforts  were  una- 
vailing. Early  in  the  following  year  the  Gen- 
tile believers,  one  and  all,  removed  to  iElia  Ca- 
pitolina ;  and  it  was  not  till  after  a  succession  of 
fifteen  bishops  from  the  circumcision,  that  they 
elected  the  first  from  among  the  Gentiles  in  the 
person  of  Mark.  The  remaining  brethren  looked 
with  sorrow  on  their  departure.  The  division 
extended  through  all  the  relations  of  life,  until  at 
length  the  love  of  unity  and  of  peace  must  con- 
fine itself  within  the  bounds  of  single  churches. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

As  the  time  of  Easter  drew  near,  peace  and 
also  some  degree  of  union  returned  to  the  church 
in  Pella.  The  deaconess  and  her  female  friends 
had  shared  in  the  pain  occasioned  by  the  dis- 
sensions in  the  church,  but  had  participated  in 
them  no  farther.  In  domestic  retirement  had 
Lea  prepared  for  baptism,  faithfully  availing 
herself  of  the  instructions  of  the  elders  and 
deaconesses. 

On  account  of  her  illness  she  was  offered 
baptism  in  the  house.  She  felt  herself  strong 
enough,  however,  to  undertake  a  pilgrimage  to 
the  Jordan*  with  the  other  candidates  for  baptism? 
and  with  deep  desire  did  she  long  to  receive  the 
washing  of  regeneration  in  those  waves  where 
John  had  baptized  the  Lord  himself. 

Several  weeks  previous,  she,  together  with  the 

others  who  desired  the  holy  ordinance,  had  been 

exhorted  to   give  herself  to  prayer,  and  also,  so 

far  as  her  bodily  health  permitted,  to  fasting,  as 

*  See  Appendix,  note  K. 


128  LEA,    OR    THE 

a  means  of  securing  that  serenity  of  soul  which 
fits  it  for  devotion.  The  Nazarenes  still  retained 
the  Jewish  fasts ;  but  the  whole  church  also 
recognized  the  dependence  of  the  spiritual  frame 
upon  the  state  of  the  body  :  and  observing  that 
on  momentous  occasions  in  life,  the  wants  of  the 
body  are  silent,  they  inferred  that  in  preparing 
for  such  occasions  the  body  should  be  placed  in 
such  a  condition,  that  at  least  its  claims  might  not 
disturb  and  distract  the  soul.  The  church  mani- 
fested the  liveliest  sympathy  with  the  candidates, 
and  each  member  felt  himself  so  closely  bound 
to  the  whole  body,  that  the  entire  church  united 
with  them  in  fasting  and  prayer. 

In  Easter  week  began  the  pilgrimage  to  the 
Jordan.*  The  august  procession  consisted  of  the 
elders  and  deacons,  accompanied  by  a  large 
portion  of  the  church.  Slowly  and  solemnly  they 
wound  their  way  over  the  mountains  and  through 
the  valleys  of  Gilead,  at  intervals  singing  psalms 
and  hymns.  Lea  had  to  be  carried  rather  than 
led  by  Elizabeth  and  the  deaconess  ;-^but  a  hope 
unspeakable  inspired  her  soul  and  bore  up  even 
the  feeble  energies  of  her  body. 

"  Thus  have  I  imagined  the  journeyings  of  our 
fathers  to  the  feasts  at  Jerusalem,"  said  she;  "  but 
then  they  celebraled  only  the  promise  of  that 
•  See  Appendix,  note  L. 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  129 

which  in  its  holy  fulfilment  now  blesses  us. 
There  was  then,  therefore,  as  was  meet,  more  of 
external  pomp;  now  there  is  more  of  inward 
glory." 

Early  on  the  following  morning*  they  repaired 
to  the  shore  of  the  Jordan.  The  assembly  prayed 
with  the  candidates.  They  made  the  confession 
of  their  faith  in  the  triune  God,  and  repeated  the 
Lord's  prayer  ;  then  followed  the  holy  ordinance. 

The  deaconesses  had  dressed  the  female  can- 
didates in  suitable  apparel.  In  wThite  garments 
they  went  down  into  the  stream.  The  Bishops 
dipped  them  under,  and  baptized  them  "  in  the 
name  of  the  universal  Father  and  Lord,  and  of 
the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

After  this,  which  was  called  the  Enlightening, 
the  deacons  conducted  the  males  and  the  dea- 
conesses the  females  into  a  house,  where  they 
changed  their  clothing. 

When  they  had  returned  to  the  assembly  a 
prayer  closed  the  solemnity,  and  the  procession 
set  out  on  its  return  to  Pella.  Lea  did  not  ap- 
pear languid,  though  she  was  greatly  affected. 
The  deaconess  had  supplied  the  place  of  godmo- 
ther,! and  on  the  way  called  her  with  joyful  pride 

*  See  Appendix,  note  M, 
f  See  Appendix,  note  N. 
8 


130  LEA,    OE    THE 

her  sister.  Elizabeth,  too,  addressed  her  in  the 
same  manner.  But  Lea  could  not  hear  the 
endearing  name  without  tears.  She  looked  upon 
herself  as  one  new  born  indeed,  and  yet  it  seemed 
as  if  this  title  was  still  too  high  and  too  signifi- 
cant for  her. 

The  procession  on  arriving  at  Pella  went  im- 
mediately to  the  place  of  assembly.  They  were 
received  with  rejoicings,  congratulations,  and 
songs  by  the  church.  All  kneeled  clown.  A 
devout  prayer  was  offered  for  the  baptized,  for 
the  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  church,  for  all 
churches  in  all  places ;  and  God  was  entreated 
to  illuminate  his  young  disciples  with  the  light  of 
his  Gospel ;  that  He  would  strengthen  them  to 
lead  righteous  lives  and  to  obey  the  divine  com- 
mandments, that  so  they  might  attain  unto  eter- 
nal life.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer  they 
greeted  one  another  with  the  kiss  of  peace. 

Bread  was  then  brought  to  the  Bishop,  and 
a  goblet  containing  water  and  wine.  He  took  it 
and  praised  and  glorified  the  universal  Father 
through  the  name  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  with  many  words  thanked  Him  for 
the  gifts  which  He  had  bestowed  on  them. 
When  he  had  ended  the  prayer  and  the  thanks- 
giving,  the   whole   church  said,  Amen !     The 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  131 

deacons  then  served  each  person  present  with  a 
portion  of  the  bread,  and  of  the  wine  mingled 
with  water,  and  carried  it  to  the  dwellings  of 
such  as  were  absent.  But  not  as  common  bread, 
and  not  as  common  drink,  was  it  received  by  the 
members  of  the  church;  for  they  were  taught 
"  that  this  food,  for  wThich  thanks  had  been  given 
in  Jesus'  own  words,  and  which  is  converted  into 
nourishment  of  flesh  and  blood,  is  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus  !" 

After  the  holy  supper,  Lea  returned  home  in 
company  with  her  friends.  Her  soul  was  melted 
in  joy  and  thankfulness.  She  embraced  her  mo- 
ther and  aunt;  and  long  lay  speechless  in  their 
arms.  She  passed  the  night  chiefly  in  praying 
and  singing  ;  though  struggling  with  bodily 
weakness,  the  triumph  of  her  soul  yet  bore  her 
far  above  all  outward  infirmities  up  to  the  throne 
of  her  Lord, 


CHAPTER   XX. 

As  Lea  next  morning  entered  the  apartment 
of  Elizabeth  and  her  aunt,  they  were  both  struck 
by  the  unusual  expression  of  her  countenance 
and  manner.  In  every  tone  of  her  voice  there  was 
a  depth,  a  feeling,  which  surprised  them,  and  her 
whole  demeanor  had  a  tenderness  and  warmth, 
such  as  they  had  never  observed  in  her  before. 
The  native  transparency  and  gladness  of  her 
temper  had  not  disappeared,  but  they  had  received 
from  that  new  depth  and  intensity  of  affection  a 
charm  almost  celestial.  It  seemed  as  if  her 
nature  had  attained  its  perfect  development,  and 
therefore  made,  like  every  harmoniously  formed 
character,  an  impression  of  majesty. 

The  matrons  knew  not  at  first  how  to  under- 
stand it ;  but  it  soon  occurred  to  them  that  such 
is  often  the  regenerating  and  transforming  power 
of  baptism  even  upon  the  outward  appearance, 
although  they  had  never  before  witnessed  a 
change  so  striking.     Doubtless  it  was  the  innV 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  133 

ence  of  baptism.  They  erred  in  this,  however, 
that  they  supposed  it  to  be  purely  an  inward  one 
which  was  now  manifesting  itself  outwardly. 
There  was  indeed  an  inward  influence,  but  con- 
nected with  it  was  another,  an  external  one, 
quite  distinct  in  its  nature. 

Lea's  soul,  both  before  and  at  the  reception 
of  the  holy  ordinance,  had  been  in  a  state  of 
unusual  elevation,  and  she  felt  that  to  her  it  was 
no  mere  empty  symbol.  She  perceived  in  her- 
self a  new  spiritual  life,  full  of  assurance  and  of 
the  undoubting  experience  of  divine  grace  in  her 
heart.  Her  spirit  in  its  most  earnest  longings  had 
never  imagined,  that  the  assured,  the  overwhelm- 
ing feeling  of  sin  forgiven,  of  purity  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  of  the  divine  complacency  towards  us, 
could  be  so  unutterably  blissful  or  could  produce 
such  an  entire  change  of  the  whole  being.  "  Yes, 
surely  it  is  being  born  again,"  said  she  to  herself, 
"  for  it  is  a  return  to  the  innocence  of  childhood, 
to  unfading  purity  before  the  throne  of  divine 
justice.  The  infant  has  an  innocence  before  man, 
but  it  is  only  an  image  of  that  purity  before  God 
which  the  baptized  receives  through  faith  in 
Christ."  It  was  emotions  like  these  which  had 
produced  the  wonderful  change  observed  in  her. 

But  there  was,  moreover,  an  external  cause 


134  LEA,    OR   THE 

which  increased  the  effect  of  this  inward  state. 
Her  improvement  in  health  had  been  only  a  tem- 
porary result  of  intense  desire,  and  nothing  but 
the  enthusiasm  of  her  heart  could  have  concealed 
from  her  that  the  exertions  of  the  journey  ex- 
ceeded her  strength.  The  triune  immersion  of  the 
whole  body  in  the  Jordan,  at  the  hour  of  sunrise, 
had  completed  the  ruin  of  her  health.  During 
the  journey  back,  in  the  assembly,  and  through 
the  first  part  of  the  night,  the  ever  increasing 
blissfulness  of  her  heart  had  lifted  her  above  its 
effects.  But  towards  morning,  she  had  suffered  a 
violent  hemorrhage,  which  at  last  opened  her 
eyes  to  her  situation. 

Filled  with  the  reflections  which  her  new-born 
spirit  and  her  shattered  body  naturally  awakened, 
she  had  sought  her  aged  friends.  Although  they 
ascribed  this  visible  change  in  Lea  solely  to  her 
baptism,  yet  the  immediate  expression  of  their 
surprise  was  restrained  by  that  natural  awe  which 
such  an  aspect  ever  inspires. 

"  Seat  thyself  by  us,  dear  sister  and  daughter," 
Said  Elizabeth.  "  We,  thy  aunt  and  I,  have 
been  contending  who  should  now7  claim  thee 
properly  as  daughter.  I  have  formally  adopted 
thee  as  my  child,  and  thou  hast  allowed  me  a 
mother's  rights.     Thy  aunt,  on  the  other  hand, 


BAPTISM    LN    JORDAN.  135 

pleads  the  right  of  blood,  and  adds  thereto  the 
new  chain  of  godmother,  as  thy  spiritual  parent. 
At  last  we  have  adjusted  it  thus,  that  since  God 
in  Christ  has  adopted  thee  for  His  child,  we  are, 
bound  now  to  honor  thee  as  our  sister." 

With  a  pleasant  smile  Lea  answered,  "Let 
me  remain,  I  entreat  you,  your  own  dear  daughter, 
and  shame  me  not  with  that  too  honorable  name 
of  sister  !" 

"  Yes,  that  shalt  thou  indeed  remain,  my  own 
dear  daughter,"  said  her  aunt,  embracing  her. 

"  Now  for  the  first  time  do  I  feel  what  sweet- 
ness there  is  in  the  name  of  daughter,"  said  Lea, 
with  an  unwonted  expression  ; — "  now  first,  when 
through  the  grace  of  my  Lord  I  bear  it  in  a  four- 
fold sense.  The  dear  parents  who  in  Capernaum, 
the  chosen  city  of  my  Saviour,  nursed  and  blessed 
me,  called  me  their  beloved  daughter.  Next 
thou,  dear  Mother  Elizabeth,  as  thy  adopted 
daughter  hast  loved  the  forsaken  orphan  with  the 
love  which  the  Lord  giveth.  And  now  my 
venerable  aunt  has  become  my  godmother,  and 
calls  me  her  spiritual  daughter.  But  this  is  the 
crown — -that  through  the  holy  washing  I  am 
become  a  daughter  of  my  heavenly  Father  !" 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  crown,"  said  Elizabeth. 

"  That  too  alone  is  abiding,"  pursued  Lea  in 


i'Sb  LEA,    OR    THE 

deep  emotion,  "  and  abides  for  evermore  I  Dear 
mother  Elizabeth,  dear  mother  and  aunt,  death 
has  deprived  you  of  your  own  little  ones.  The 
Lord  took  them  to  Himself,  into  His  everlasting 
home,  and  ye  can  no  more  address  them  as  your 
children.  And  now,  this  your  new  child,  who 
should  have  filled  their  place,  this  your  adopted 
and  spiritual  daughter,  will  also  soon  die.  Over 
them  ye  wept,  for  ye  were  tender  mothers  ; — but 
weep  not  over  me,  but  be  glad  and  rejoice  with 
me!" 

She  spoke  with  such  confidence,  and  with  such 
a  tender  melancholy  joy,  that  the  aged  pair  ven- 
tured not  to  contradict  her.  They  both  rose,  and 
embraced  her  with  silent  tears. 

Like  an  angel  lay  the  maiden  with  her  pale, 
radiant,  majestic  aspect,  in  the  arms  of  the  weep- 
ing mothers* 

"  Oh,  my  daughter,  what  aileth  thee  ?  Whence 
know'st  thou  this  ?"  at  length  asked  Elizabeth, 

"  Ask  me  not,  beloved  mother,"  answered 
Lea.  "  I  know  it !  It  has  been  this  night  made 
certain  to  me." 

"  Wilt  thou  so  soon  forsake  us  ??  sighed  the 
aunt.  "  0  could'st  thou  but  first  bury  us  aged 
ones,  and  then  lay  thyself  beside  us,  thou  precious 
child  1" 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  137 

"  Oh,  chide  me  not !"  said  Lea.  "  The  will  of 
the  Lord  be  done  !  Cheerfully  would  I  remain  to 
close  your  eyes,  if  that  were  His  will.  So  must 
ye  too  cheerfully  dismiss  me,  and  close  my  eyes, 
since  it  is  His  will.  For  ye  know  that  when  we 
belonged  merely  to  the  natural  Israel,  a  ripe  old 
age  only  was  estimated  a  blessing  ;,but  now  that 
we  belong  to  the  spiritual  Israel,  early  death  is  a 
blessing  also.  Is  it  not  true,  beloved  mothers, 
that  all  are  blessings  which  the  Lord  sends  V 

"  Yes,  all  are  blessings  even  though  they  cause 
the  poor  heart  to  ache,"  they  both  replied. 

"  That  has  the  baptizer  John  explained  to  us, 
as  the  Bishop  told  us,  I  must  decrease,  He  must 
increase,  were  his  words.  These  must  go  to- 
gether. The  Lord  increases  in  us  only  when  we 
decrease.  The  decrease  is  painful  to  nature  ;  the 
increase  is  healthful  to  the  spirit,  for  it  becomes 
everlasting  joy  and  happiness." 

The  aged  pair  were  speechless. 

"  Oh,  it  does  indeed  grieve  me  to  the  heart," 
continued  Lea,  "  that  I  must  go,  when  I  remem- 
ber that  I  must  leave  you  behind." 

"  Ah,  my  poor,  desolate,  widowed  old  age  !" 
cried  Elizabeth,  with  many  tears.  "  I  had  reposed 
so  many  hopes  in  thee,  sweet  child  !" 

"  Alas  I"    sighed   the   aunt,  "  none  of    my 
8* 


kindred  remains  to  close  ray  eyes,  and  strangers 
will  lay  me  in  the  grave  !" 

"  I  entreat  you,"  said  Lea  tenderly,  "  make  it 
not  so  hard  for  me  to  fulfil  the  Lord's  will !  Ah, 
I  love  you  dearly,  unspeakably ; — no  one  but  my 
Saviour  do  I  love  more  !  How  hast  thou  like  a 
mother  loved  me,  since  I  was  received,  a  poor  out- 
cast orphan,  into  thy  peaceful  cottage,  O  mother 
Elizabeth  !  And  thou,  my  spiritual  mother, 
how  did  our  common  blood  witness  for  each 
other,  when  sick,  and  again  an  outcast,  I  came  to 
Pell  a  !  Dear,  dear  mother,  how  hard  for  nature 
it  is  to  part !    This  is  the  true  bitterness  of  death ! ' J 

The  voices  of  all  were  choked  in  tears. 

"  Still,  death  to  ourselves  is  life  in  Him  who 
is  our  head.  In  that  let  us  comfort  one  another. 
Come,  dear  mother,  comfort  your  afflicted  daugh- 
ter with  the  comfort  wherewith  so  often  the 
Lord  hath  comforted  you !" 

The  aged  mother  embraced  the  wondrous 
child. 

"  On  the  Sabbath,"  continued  Lea,  *  we  saw 
the  Lord's  opened  grave.  That  shall  be  my 
Nebo,  for  from  it  will  I  look  over  into  the  bliss- 
ful Canaan.  Is  it  not  true  that  to  him  for  whom 
Christ's  grace  is  not  sufficient,  whose  heart  it 
comforts   not  in  sorrow,  to  whom  it  is  not  an 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN. 


139 


overflowing  supply  for  every  loss — to  him  it  is 
unknown  ?  Now  let  us  sing  Mary's  hymn  of 
thanksgiving,  which  you  lately  taught  me."  She 
began— 

"  My  soul  magnifies  the  Lord, 

And  my  spirit^exults  in  God  my  Saviour  !" 

But  she  sung  only  a  few  words.  A  pang 
seized  her  in  the  breast,  and  she  only  repeated 
the  remainder.  With  the  second  line  she  was 
again  obliged  to  pause.  She  was  silent  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  said,  "  This  is  no  self-satisfied  joy, 
but  a  grateful,  happy  endurance  of  His  will !" 
She  went  on  : 

"  For  He  hath  looked  on  the  low  estate  of  His  handmaid  5 

Behold  !  henceforth  all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed  ; 

For  He  hath  done  great  things  for  me, 

He  that  is  mighty  and  whose  name  is  holy. 

And  His  mercy  endures  for  ever 

Towards  them  that  fear  Him." 

Again  she  paused  for  breath,  and  then  con- 
tinued, "  See,  this  is  the  light  which  rose  to  me 
over  my  past  life,  in  baptism,  as  it  arose  to  Mary 
in  that  mysterious  hour.  Have  not  ye,  too, 
learned  by  experience  that  the  Lord  does  some- 
thing great  for  us,  when  it  makes  all  other  things. 


140  LEA,  OK   T3$ 

even  the  least,  great  also  ?  Yet  remember,  dear 
heart/'  said  she,  with  childish  simplicity,  to  her- 
self, "  it  is  one  thing  to  look  at  ourselves,  to 
whom  He  has  done  great  things,  and  quite  ano* 
ther  to  look  at  him  who  has  done  great  things 
for  us." 

Soon  she  resumed  again  '. 

ei  He  hath  showed  strength  with  His  arm> 

He  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their 

heart. 
He  hath  cast  down  the  mighty  from  their  seats- 
And  exalted  the  lowly. 
The  hungry  He  hath  rilled  with  good  things, 
And  sent  the  rich  empty  away." 

"  See,"  said  she,  "  this  is  the  fervor  which 
that  overwhelming  joy  produces.  It  is  the  fer- 
vor of  humility,  of  self-decrease,  while  the  Lord 
increases  in  us ;  of  the  conviction  of  our  sinful- 
ness and  vanity,  when  in  baptism  eternal  life  is 
bestowed  upon  us.  Of  a  truth,"  and  w7ith  these 
words  her  voice  grew  stronger,  "  he  who  in  Jor- 
dan has  received  eternal  life,  may  willingly  lay 
down  on  Nebo  his  earthly  life.  In  that  we  are 
happier  than  Moses." 

After  a  few  moments'  rest,  she  repeated  the 
conclusion  of  this  noble  song  of  praise  : 


J3APTISM    IN    JORDAN,  141 

"  He  hath  helped  Israel  His  servant, 
And  hath  remembered  His  mercy ; 
According  to  His  word  unto  our  fathers, 
To  Abraham  and  his  seed  for  ever.    Amen  !" 

"  And  this  is  the  assurance  which  the  baptis- 
mal joy  spreads  over  the  future.  Still  a  few 
weeks  do  I  linger  with  you ;  sick,  yet  joyful ; 
poor,  yet  rich  j  suffering,  but  yet  beloved.  Yea, 
the  Lord  will  sustain  his  handmaid.  Then  shall 
I  hear  his  call !  Then  comes  the  momentary 
pang  from  which  the  worm  shrinks ;  but  in  all 
that  awaits  me,  both  before  and  in  that  bitter 
hour,  I  know  that  my  Saviour  remembers  mercy » 
Hallelujah !  He  hath  said  it  to  Abraham  and  to 
our  fathers,  and  at  last  through  David's  eternal 
Son  !  And  He  performs  His  word !  Hallelu- 
jah!" 

Her  strength  failed  her.  Recovering  herself, 
she  added,  "  Beloved  mothers,  this  is  my  baptis- 
mal joy,  my  joy  of  discipleship,  my  joy  in  Christ. 
And  ye  are  witnesses  that  it  gives  light,  and  full- 
ness of  love,  and  confident  expectation.  Rejoice 
with  me !" 

Exhausted,  she  lay  silent  for  a  long  time, 
while  the  weeping  mothers  gazed  at  her  in 
speechless  admiration. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

Only  once  more  was  Lea  able  to  be  present  in 
the  public  assembly  of  the  church.  It  was  on 
the  evening  of  the  holy  Easter,  the  festival  of 
the  resurrection,  where,  by  the  grave  of  the  risen 
Prince  of  Life,  she  desired  to  ascend  her  Nebo. 
On  this  evening,  after  tjie  solemnities  of  divine 
worship,  a  love-feast  was  held,  during  which  the 
consecrated  Paschal  lamb  was  eaten.  The  festi- 
val was  celebrated  along  with  the  Jews,  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  East. 

In  the  morning,  the  deaconess  directed  the 
attention  of  her  young  friend  to  the  striking  dif- 
ference between  the  natural  and  spiritual  Israel, 
in  regard  to  festivals.  "How  did  they  once 
throng  to  Jerusalem  while  the  Temple  was  yet 
standing  !"  said  she.  "  Three  great  feasts,  and 
how  many  new  moons  and  other  sacred  days ! 
The  church  of  the  Lord  has  but  one  feast.*  That, 
each  one  celebrates  daily  by  himself,  and  the 

■  See  Appendix,  note  0. 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  143 

assembled  church  from  week  to  week  on  the 
Sabbath.  Is  it  not  true,  Lea,  he  who  celebrates 
the  feast  of  the  Lord's  resurrection,  and  of  his 
own,  needs  no  other  feast,  or  at  most  only  days 
of  remembrance  and  thanksgiving  V9 

At  evening  the  church  were  all  assembled. 
A  psalm  was  sung.  The  story  of  the  resurrec- 
tion was  read  from  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  the 
Bishop  explained  it,  and  then  offered  prayer. 
Then  followed  the  love-feast  with  the  Pascal 
Lamb  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

"  In  the  church  the  whole  life  is  to  be  sanc- 
tified," said  the  deaconess  to  Lea,  as  they  were 
entering  the  banqueting  hall  to  partake  of  the 
love-feast ;  "  therefore,  even  the  enjoyment  of 
food  is  brought  into  the  circle  of  religious  ser- 
vices. The  Apostles  willingly  brought  this  cus- 
tom with  them  from  the  temple  of  our  fathers, 
and  their  sacrificial  feasts,  into  the  church  of  the 
Lord.  You  remember  that,  by  eating,  Adam 
and  Eve  lost  eternal  life ;  therefore,  do  we,  in 
the  Lord's  Supper,  regain  eternal  life  through 
the  participation  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ. 
But  there  is,  moreover,  the  spiritual  life;  and 
these  feasts  of  fellowship  are  designed  to  pro- 
mote that  love  which  is  the  element  of  spiritual 
life." 


144  LEA,   OR    THE 

While  she  was  thus  speaking,  the  deacons 
and  a  part  of  the  deaconesses  bore  along  the 
food  which  the  more  prosperous  members  of  the 
church  had  placed  as  an  offering  upon  the  table 
in  the  prayer-room,  and  which  the  Bishop  had 
blessed.  The  poorer  members  had  brought 
nothing,  or  very  little,  but  they  shared  equally 
with  the  rest.  The  rich  brought  much  and  yet 
enjoyed  no  more.  They  were  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  the  common  household  of  God,  who  here 
sat  down  together  at  their  Father's  table. 

The  present  love-feast  was  distinguished  by 
the  Paschal  Lamb,  which  constituted  the  princi- 
pal dish.*  It  was  pleasant  to  recall  the  times  of 
their  fathers,  and  it  was,  moreover,  commanded 
in  the  law  that  at  the  Passover  a  lamb  should  be 
eaten :  and  although  they  knew  that  the  true 
Paschal  Lamb  had  long  since  come,  they  still  che- 
rished the  advent  feeling  of  that  later  time,  when 
in  full  possession  of  the  promised  blessing,  the 
church  heightened  its  joy  by  a  glance  backward 
upon  the  days  of  hope  and  prophecy.  It  is  true 
that  with  many  it  nurtured  a  superstitious  trust 
in  the  law,  and  therefore  at  a  subsequent  period 
this  custom  was  discontinued.  But  by  the  en- 
lightened members  of  the  church  it  was  regarded 
*  See  Appendix^  note  P. 


BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN.  145 

only  as  an  edifying  and  permitted  charm  of  the 
feast. 

The  meal  commenced  with  a  prayer,  in  which 
all  joined.*  They  ate  as  much  as  hunger  craved. 
They  drank  as  much  as  was  becoming  for  sober 
people.  In  all  their  conversation  they  kept  in 
mind  that  God  heard  them.  The  enjoyment  of 
food  taught  them  that  no  pleasure  is  to  be  desired 
without  his  blessing ;  and  from  the  hour  they 
learned,  that  even  the  night  is  to  be  hallowed  by 
the  remembrance  of  His  presence. 

The  conversation  of  the  assembly  was  wholly 
on  religious  subjects.  The  Bishop  spoke  of  the 
last  supper  of  the  Lord  with  his  disciples  in  the 
upper  chamber,  compared  it  with  the  first  after 
his  resurrection  in  Emmaus,  and  closed  with  the 
remark,  that  as  Christ  had  died  for  us,  we 
must  also  die  with  him,  in  order  to  be  partakers 
with  him  in  the  eternal  glory  of  his  kingdom. 

The  conversation  then  naturally  turned  upon 
the  persecutions  which  the  church  had  to  en- 
dure from  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  how  blessed  it 
is  for  the  Christian  to  seal  his  faith  with  his 
blood.  An  Elder  related  the  glorious  death  of 
Stephen,  who  was  counted  worthy  to  lead  the 
noble  army  of  martyrs.     A  revered  brother  spoke 

*  See  Appendix,  note  Q> 


x-iO  LEA,    Oil    THE 

of  James,  whom  Herod  Agrippa  "put  to  death. 
The  Apostles  Peter  and  Jude  were  commemo- 
rated, also  James,  Bishop  of  the  Church  in  Jeru- 
salem. Ignatius,  too,  was  remembered,  whom 
when  a  child,  the  Lord  had  taken  in  his  arms 
and  blessed.  But  none  were  heard  with  such 
attention  as  those,  now  grey-headed  patriarchs, 
who  had  enjoyed  the  instructions  of  the  Lord's 
personal  disciples — the  Apostolic  Fathers  as  they 
were  called,  because  they  had  been  the  imme- 
diate disciples  of  the  Apostles.  Yet  it  was 
worthy  of  note  that  the  name  of  Paul  was  care- 
fully avoided ;  and  if  they  were  obliged  to  men- 
tion him,  it  was  with  an  expression  of  displea- 
sure, as  an  apostate  from  the  law.  The  martyrs, 
too,  among  the  Gentile  Christians,  were  not  re- 
membered ;  and  when  the  teachers  from  the  cir- 
cumcision were  praised,  no  notice  was  taken  of 
Justin  and  other  distinguished  men  who  had  once 
been  pagans.  On  the  other  hand,  they  passed 
lightly  over  the  case  of  Cerinthus.  In  short,  to 
one  versed  in  such  matters,  the  conversation  be- 
trayed in  the  most  striking  manner  a  want  of 
fellowship  with  the  Gentile  Christians.  But  it 
seemed  to  be  conducted  on  a  concerted  plan,  so 
artfully  carried  out  that  the  inexperienced,  like 
Lea,  never  once  suspected  it, 


BAPTISM   IN    JORDAN.  147 

When  at  length,  towards  the  end  of  the  love- 
feast,  water  had  been  brought  in  for  washing  the 
hands,  the  Bishop  called  upon  each  one  present 
to  sing  a  hymn.  He  himself  took  the  lead. 
This  custom  had  for  its  object  the  general  edifi- 
cation, and  was  also  intended  to  honor  the  priestly 
prerogative  of  the  wThole  church,  giving  each  in- 
dividual opportunity  to  teach  and  exhort.  It 
was  also  to  serve  as  a  public  test  that  each  had 
kept  within  the  bounds  of  moderation  at  the 
feast.  One  sung  a  psalm  from  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures ;  another  a  hymn  of  his  own  composition. 
Some  sung  with  so  much  animation  and  feeling 
as  to  affect  the  whole  assembly.  It  was  a  church 
of  brethren,  where  each  one  was  permitted  to 
impart  his  own  experience  to  the  rest,  and  to 
speak  out  all  his  heart. 

The  assembly  rose  up  and  partook  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  as  a  solemn  conclusion  of  the  festival. 
The  deacons  were  directed  by  the  Bishop,  not 
only  to  carry  bread  and  wine  to  the  houses  of 
such  as  were  sick,  but  also,  as  this  was  the  Easter 
festival,  to  send  bread  by  special  messengers  to 
the  churches  at  Cochaba  and  Berrhea,  as  a  token 
of  fellowship.  A  prayer  closed  the  whole 
solemnity,  and  each  returned  home  to  imitate  in 
the  domestic  circle  this  humility  and  holy  circum- 


148  LEA,  OR   THE    BAPTISM    IN   JORDAN, 

spection,  to  honor  the  poor  as  brothers,  and  to 
be  mindful  at  all  times  of  the  presence  of  the 
Lord ;  for,  as  a  contemporary  has  expressed  it, 
"  it  was  less  a  banquet  which  they  had  attended, 
than  a  rich  means  of  religious  culture." 

The  females  kept  silent  in  the  assembly.  As 
for  Lea,  she  could  not  have  uttered  a  word  ;  for 
the  present  had  receded  from  her  view,  and  her 
spirit  was  absorbed  in  anticipations  of  the  future 
and  endless  blessings  of  salvation. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

This  was  the  first  and  the  last  time  that  Lea 
was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  church  after 
her  baptism.  Her  disease  so  increased  in  vio- 
lence that  she  could  no  longer  leave  the  house, 
nor,  after  a  short  time,  the  divan.  Still  she  was 
not  willing  to  lie  down.  A  spiritual  power 
seemed  to  attract  her  upwards,  and  she  sat  up 
continually,  her  arms  supported  by  pillows. 

It  was  animating  to  look  upon  her.  Ever  the 
same  remained  the  triumphant  calmness,  the 
winning  sweetness,  the  sublime  instructiveness  of 
her  demeanor.  On  this  account,  too,  she  was 
seldom  alone,  her  apartment  seeming  like  a  place 
of  meeting  for  the  church,  when  she  could  no 
longer  attend  its  public  assemblies.  The  exhibi- 
tion of  a  faith  which  triumphs  visibly  alike  over 
earthly  suffering  and  earthly  joy,  has  an  attract- 
ive charm.  Each  one  feels  that  he  needs,  or 
shall  need  it,  for  himself.  Old  and  young  sur- 
rounded  her,   and  heard  her  testimony  to  the 


150  LEA,    OR    THE 

power  of  the  gospel.  The  young  women  and 
the  matrons  of  the  church  sat  beside  her  weep- 
ing, and  even  grey-headed  patriarchs  were  as- 
tonished at  the  high  measure  of  grace  and  know- 
ledge which  were  vouchsafed  to  her. 

Her  external  appearance  was  much  changed 
by  her  sickness.  Her  arms  and  hands  wasted 
away,  her  form  became  strangely  emaciated,  and 
nothing  remained  of  her  former  beauty  except 
the  long,  waving,  silken  hair,  and  the  black, 
soul-speaking  eye.  Occasionally  an  elder  visited 
her  and  prayed  with  her.  Then  as  she  lay  on 
the  divan  in  her  long  white  robe,  her  feeble  arms 
supported  on  pillows,  and  her  drooping  hands 
piously  folded  as  of  one  already  dead  ;  a  corpse- 
like paleness  on  her  countenance  shaded  by  her 
dark  luxuriant  tresses,  while  yet  her  eye  kindled 
with  enthusiasm  and  spiritual  energy  as  it  gazed 
towards  the  heaven  whither  her  heart  already 
hastened, — and  now  and  then  a  tear  stole  down 
her  face,  and  a  faint  bloom  tinged  her  cheek  ; — 
that  was  a  sight  which  spoke  more  powerful  les- 
sons to  the  heart  than  her  most  persuasive  exhor- 
tations. 

The  house  of  the  deaconess  was  beginning  to 
be  thronged  with  visitors  even  from  distant 
churches,  attracted  thither  by  this  edifying  ex- 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN".  151 

ample  of  the  power  of  faith,  when  suddenly  this 
more  than  earthly  animation  forsook  the  heart  of 
Lea.  She  was  now  to  learn  by  experience  that 
even  spiritual  joy  is  made  subject  to  change,  that 
we  may  not  confound  it  with  that  Avhich  is 
eternal. 

All  at  once  Lea  found  herself  again  agitated 
in  that  conflict  between  law  and  faith  which  she 
had  supposed  was  already  decided.  But  this 
conflict  connects  itself  so  intimately  with  our  in- 
most nature,  that  it  is  ever  reappearing  anew, 
each  time  under  a  more  refined  and  subtle  form. 

Her  bodily  suffering  had  become  on  some  days 
almost  insupportable.  She  had  easily  borne  the 
lighter  pains,  and  the  universal  love,  sympathy 
and  admiration  had  so  accustomed  her  to  agreea- 
ble emotions,  that  she  had  no  strength  to  endure 
these  heavier  sufferings.  Several  days  were 
passed  in  mute  discontent,  and  as  the  heavenly 
radiance  which  had  encircled  her  head  vanished 
from  the  eyes  of  others,  she  felt  too  an  inward 
dissatisfaction,  which  vented  itself  occasionally 
in  brief  but  strong  expressions. 

The  elder  to  whom  was  committed  the  care 
of  her  spiritual  state,  chanced  at  one  of  these 
moments  to  be  standing  by  her  couch.  He  turn- 
ed in  silence  from  her,  and   addressing  those  pre- 


152  LEA,   OR    THE 

sent  said,  "  We  ought  not  to  wonder  at  such  a 
change,  for  the  Lord  often  deals  thus,  that  we 
may  not  be  tempted  to  deify  a  poor  sinful  mortal. 
He  alone  is  great  and  good  !  To  him  be  all  the 
glory  !"  added  he  with  devout  reverence. 

Lea  was  as  if  crushed  at  these  words,  which 
made  her  conscious  of  her  deep  humiliation. 
Quickly  recovering  herself,  however,  she  humbly 
inquired — "  And  what  hast  thou  to  say  to  me, 
Father  1" 

"  The  Apostle  James,"  replied  he,  "  has  writ- 
ten, '  Is  any  among  you  afflicted,  let  him  pray  ; 
is  any  joyful,  let  him  sing  psalms.'  The  last 
thou  hast  faithfully  performed.  Now  is  the  time 
to  practise  the  former." 

Lea  prayed.  Still  she  grew  continually  more 
restless  and  unhappy.  Elizabeth  and  the  dea- 
coness were  greatly  afflicted,  and  besought  her  to 
tell  them  the  cause  of  her  unhappiness. 

"  I  lie  under  the  law  and  its  curse,"  said  she. 
And  she  was  right.  True,  it  was  clear  to  her 
that  the  sacrificial  law  had  ceased  with  Christ, 
and  the  civil  law  with  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. On  this  point  the  decision  of  the  Apostles 
had  long  since  set  her  mind  at  rest.  But  these 
Apostles,  and  the  whole  church  taught  that  the 
moral  law  still  remained  in  force.     Lea  examined 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  153 

tierself,  and  was  convinced  that  she  had  not  kept 
it  perfectly,  and  that  even  since  her  baptism  she 
had  fallen  into  many  sins.  She  imagined  that 
when  one  receives  in  baptism  the  forgiveness  of 
sin,  his  heart  becomes  thenceforth  a  clear,  pure 
foundation,  on  which  to  erect  with  the  divine  as- 
sistance a  blameless  structure  of  new  obedience 
and  Christian  virtue.  This  could  she  not  find  in 
herself.  In  the  sunshine  of  joy  and  admiration 
she  had  been  inwardly  proud,  in  the  hour  of  trial 
impatient.     She  felt  this  and  was  inconsolable. 

The  aged  friends  knew  not  how  to  help  her. 
The  elder,  a  man  of  much  experience  but  of  few 
words,  counselled  her  to  separate  the  divine  and 
human.  Lea  did  not  understand  him.  There 
remained  for  her  in  her  sufferings  nothing  but 
prayer. 

One  day  when  she  chanced  to  be  alone  she 
caught  up  the  roll  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew, 
which  always  lay  beside  her.  Her  eye  fell  upon 
the  conclusion  of  our  Lord's  sermon  on  the 
mount,  where  speaking  of  the  Pharisees  he  says 
that  the  tree  must  be  known  by  its  fruit. 

At  the  first  moment  she  was  confounded.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  Saviour's  words  were  meant  to 
confirm  the  decision  of  her  own  conscience.  "Oh, 
my  wretched  works !"  she  cried  in  deep  humili- 


154  LEA,    OR    THE 

ation.  She  turned  away  from  the  roll  and  look- 
ed out  into  the  court.  A  noble  grape  vine 
caught  her  attention  ;  and  on  the  very  same 
branch  she  observed,  along  with  a  few  ripe 
grapes,  many  still  unripe,  and  some  corrupted  and 
worthless. 

A  gleam  of  heavenly  light  darted  through 
Lea's  soul,  and  she  could  not  refrain  from  crying 
aloud — "  Now  do  I  understand  the  image — and 
again  I  have  peace !  Works,"  thus  she  reasoned 
with  herself,  "  are  only  the  fruit.  To  be  sure,  a 
tree  which  brings  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn 
down  and  cast  into  the  fire ;  and  certainly  one 
cannot  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles. 
Still,  works  are  only  the  fruit  and  not  the  tree* 
The  fruit  does  not  make  the  tree  good,  but  the 
tree  the  fruit,  although  the  former  is  known  by 
the  latter.  Yonder  living  branch  on  the  most 
vigorous  grape  vine  in  the  whole  garden,  has  in- 
deed already  ripe  grapes,  but  still  more  which 
are  unripe  and  can  only  be  matured  with  time, 
and  even  some  which  are  corrupt  and  worth  no- 
thing. But  it  is  still  a  living  branch ;  it  remains 
in  the  vine  and  brings  forth  much  fruit.  I  was 
indeed  a  foolish  child  again,  to  think  of  setting 
my  works  beside  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  of 
mingling  the  temporal  with  the  eternal,  the  ira- 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN,  155 

perfect  with  the  perfect,  the  human  with  the 
divine." 

As  Elizabeth  entered  the  apartment,  Lea  sa- 
luted her  with  all  the  animation  which  her  feeble 
strength  permitted,  in  the  exulting  strains  of  the 
psalms. 

The  good  mother  wept  for  joy.  Lea  had  now 
regained  all  her  wonted  serenity,  sweetness,  and 
animation,  and  retained  them  till  her  death.  The 
last  bitter  struggle  between  law  and  faith,  be- 
tween the  earthly  and  the  heavenly,  had  been 
surmounted.  Daily  the  darkness  diminished ; 
daily  increased  the  life  of  her  spirit.  The  num- 
ber of  visitors  increased  again,  although  Lea  de- 
sired more  and  more  to  be  left  in  solitary  stillness 
with  her  Lord,  or  at  most,  with  only  the  presence 
of  a  mother. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

One  day  the  elder  was  again  praying  beside 
her  couch.  She  lay  reclining  on  the  divan,  her 
face  towards  the  door.  Visitors  were  standing* 
round. 

The  door  opened,  and  Euphemus  entered. 

Lea  remained  in  the  attitude  of  devotion,  her 
eye  directed  upwards.  She  saw  not  Euphemus. 
But  as  he  gazed  on  her,  in  her  long,  white, 
shroud-like  garments,  with  that  aspect  of  life  in 
death, — the  eyes  so  full  of  lustre,  the  pale  fea- 
tures wasted  and  changed  by  suffering,  yet  beam- 
ing with  an  expression  of  heavenly  softness  and 
elevation,  he  was  struck  to  the  heart.  He  falter- 
ed and  caught  by  the  door  for  support.  One 
glance  had  dashed  to  the  ground  all  his  hopes. 
His  countenance  betrayed  the  bitter  conflict  pass- 
ing in  his  bosom.  He  sunk  upon  his  knees, 
bowed  his  face  to  the  earth  and  bathed  it  with 
his  tears. 

The  elder  closed  his  prayer,  and  Lea,  with  the 


Hhpumi  in  johdan.  157 

emphasis  of  her  full  heart,  repeated  the  Amen. 
The  tone  aroused  Euphemus,  and  he  rose  and 
stood  up  with  manly  composure. 

Lea  beckoned  him  to  her.  Summoning  all  his 
fortitude  he  approached  her.  "  Is  it  thus  that  I 
must  see  thee  again,  Lea  V9  said  he,  with  deep 
emotion. 

"  The  offering  of  my  life  is  brought  to  the 
altar,  brother  Euphemus,"  replied  she. 

"Yes,  the  offering  is  indeed  brought,  beloved 
Lea,  now  my  holy  sister  in  the  Lord  !" 

After  the  first  greetings  were  exchanged,  and 
he  had  had  time  to  recover  himself,  he  was  urged 
by  Elizabeth  to  relate  what  had  befallen  him 
since  their  parting  at  her  cottage. 

Seating  himself  in  front  of  the  divan,  he  re- 
plied briefly  : 

"  After  we  had  left  you,  we  pursued  our  way  in 
safety  to  Antioch.  Our  friend  the  Levite  every- 
where involved  himself  in  altercations ;  he  has 
at  length  gone  to  Berrhea  and  joined  himself  to 
the  Ebionites.  To  me  this  sojourn  in  the  Apos- 
tles' city  would  have  been  much  more  happy, 
had  I  not  been  disturbed  by  anxiety  for  your 
safety.  But  when  I  heard  of  the  evil  which  had 
befallen   you,  I  could  remain  no  longer,     I  ar» 


158  LEA,   OH    THE 

ranged  my  affairs  and  hastened  to  your  little 
cottage.  The  sight  of  its  blackened  ruins  filled 
me  with  agonizing  apprehensions  ;  but  I  learned 
that  you  had  taken  refuge  here,  and  quickly  as 
my  feet  could  bear  me,  I  hastened  hither.  How 
did  I  rejoice  at  the  assurance  of  your  safety  ! 
How  vanished  hills  and  valleys  under  my  feet  as 
I  thought  of  meeting  you  again !  How  did  I 
thank  God  for  the  opportunity  of  performing  for 
you  a  service  of  love, — might  I  be  permitted  to 
rebuild  your  cottage  !     But  alas  !" 

"  Nay,  dear  brother,''  interrupted  Lea.  "  For 
me,  indeed,  thou  shalt  build  no  dwelling,  for  the 
Lord  will  take  me  into  his  everlasting  dwelling. 
Already  do  I  hear  his  call.  But  for  this  let  me 
bless  thee — that  thou  wilt  build  again  for  my  be- 
loved mother  the  peaceful  cottage  in  sight  of 
Cana.  Then  think  o.f  me,  and  rejoice  in  the 
hope  of  eternal  life  !" 

Euphemus  knelt  before  Lea.  She  laid  her 
feeble  hands  upon  his  head  and  blessed  him. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Each  of  Lea's  few  remaining  days  upon  the 
earth  was  to  her  and  to  her  friends  a  festive  day, 
a  foretaste  of  eternal  life. 

One  Sabbath*  evening  she  seemed  unusually 
strong  and  cheerful.  Only  Elizabeth,  the  aunt, 
and  Euphemus  were  with  her ;  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  church  being  engaged  in  preparing 
for  the  approaching  Sunday.  Her  heart,  melted 
by  the  sweet  consciousness  of  her  Saviour's  mer- 
cy, seemed  to  overflow  with  tenderness  towards 
those  beloved  friends.  Many  times  she  pressed 
Euphemus'  hand,  and  embraced  her  aged'mothers, 
who  stood  by  her  side,  trembling  with  anguish, 
yet  full  of  consolation. 

"  All  love,"  said  she,  "  is  born  of  sorrow,  and 
then  is  it  full  of  pure  joy  !  That  has  it  received 
from  Golgotha,  the  offering-place  of  earthly  love, 
the  birth-place  of  our  own  eternal  love.  There- 
fore let  us  not  mourn  but  hope !" 

•  The  Jewish  Sabbath, 


160 

At  another  time  she  said,  "  Here  below  life  is 
but  a  dying ;  the  earth  is  a  great  burial-place,- 
and  all  that  man  contrives  and  enjoys  is  only 
food  for  the  grave.  Thanks  be  to  God — upon 
this  burial-place  stands  the  cross,  the  tree  of 
life  !" 

After  a  pause  she  resumed,  "  How  is  every- 
thing changed  and  transformed  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ!  Once,  death  was  to  me  the  wages 
of  sin.  But  since  life  in  Him  has  been  bestowed 
on  me  as  the  gift  of  God,  death  is  to  me  the  wel° 
come  release  from  all  suffering,  the  entrance  into 
His  heavenly  rest !" 

At  this  instant  the  glow  of  the  setting  sun  fell 
upon  her  countenance.  It  beamed  like  that  of 
an  angel. 

"  She  is  glorified  !"  cried  Elizabeth.  "  She  is 
gone  !'? 

"  Not  yet,  beloved  mother !  I  must  first  thank 
thee  for  all  the  goodness  which  thou  hast  shown 
to  the  desolate  orphan,  and  for  all  thy  guidance 
to  Christ  my  Lord.  My  mother  art  thou — the 
deliverer  of  my  soul !" 

Elizabeth  took  her  hand  and  bathed  it  with 
tears. 

"  Thou  wilt  take  care  of  her,"  said  she  to  Eu« 


BAPTISM    IN    JORDAN.  16  i 

fmemus.      "  I  will  thank  thee  for  it  when  thou 
too  comest  home !" 

He  assented  with  deep  emotion. 

"  Do  thou  also,  dear  aunt,  receive  my  heartfelt 
thanks.  And  greet  my  uncle  in  Tiberias ;  tell 
him  how  I  entreat  his  forgiveness  for  all  my 
faults  towards  him,  and  how  I  pray  to  the  Lord 
for  him." 

Elizabeth  took  her  other  hand  and  wept  upon 
it. 

"  Nay,  weep  not,"  said  Lea.  "  To-morrow^ 
you  know,  is  the  Lord's  day,  and  ye  see  by  the 
sunset  that  it  will  be  a  beautiful  day.  Now 
grant  me,  I  pray  you,  one  more  request,-^— sing  me 
the  thirty-fourth  Psalm." 

Lea  laid  herself  back.  She  gazed  around  her, 
then  fixed  her  eyes  as  if  in  prayer  upon  the  gor- 
geous sunset  clouds,  whose  full  splendor  was  now 
poured  upon  her  white  robe  and  pallid  features^ 

The  others  composed  themselves  and  sung  5 

"  I  will  bless  Jehovah  at  all  times, 
Let  His  praise  be  ever  on  my  lips  ! 
My  soul  exulteth  in  Jehovah, 
The  afflicted  shall  hear  it  and  rejoice, 
Magnify  Jehovah  with  me, 
Let  us  exalt  His  name  together. 
I  sought  Jehovah,  and  he  heard  me 


162  LEA,   OR.    THE    BAPTISM   IN   JORDAN* 

And  delivered  me  from  all  my  fears. 
They  look  to  Him  and  are  lightened, 
And  their  faces  blush  not  with  shame. 
This  afflicted  one  cried,  and  Jehovah  heard, 
And  rescued  him  from  all  his  troubles. 
Jehovah's  angel  encampeth  about  those  who  fear 

Him,  and  delivereth  them. 
Taste  and  see  that  Jehovah  is  good ! 
Happy  is  he  who  trusteth  in  Him  V 

The  glow  of  sunset  was  fading  away.  The 
aged  mother  looked  on  the  beloved  sufferer. 
There  she  lay,  her  hands  still  folded — but  they 
were  lifeless.  The  face  was  directed  upward, 
the  dark  eye  still  gazed  into  the  crimson  clouds, 
but  it  was  fixed  ! 

Thus  this  afflicted  one  cried,  and  Jehovah 
heard  and  rescued  her  from  all  her  troubles. 

In  mild  peace  reposed  the  beautiful  remains, 


NOTES 


Chapter  I. 

The  appearance  of  the  false  Messiah,  and  the  conse- 
quent final  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  occurred  A.  D.  132-136. 
The  foregoing  Tale  conducts  us  through  this  period,  and  is 
intended  to  exhibit  the  relation  of  Judaism  to  Christianity, 
only  hinted  at  in  Helon's  Pilgrimage,  which  belongs  to  the 
109th  year  before  the  birth  of  our  Lord.  The  chronology 
of  the  learned  Bassuage  (Annal.  Politico — Eccles.  torn.  II.) 
has  been  followed. 

Note  A.— p.  10. 
And  played  the  Coming  of  the  Messiah. — The  absurd  and 
childish  conceptions,  into  which  the  Jewish  teachers  of 
this  time  had  transformed  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment relating  to  the  Messiah,  is  clearly  shown  by  the  fact 
that  they  occur  only  in  the  sports  of  children.  Eisenmen- 
ger,  in  his  Judenthum  Entdectes,  has  with  great  pains  collect- 
ed these  scattered  characteristics.  Some  of  them  occur 
even  in  the  writings  of  Rabbi  Akiba  (Part  II.  pp.  765) ; 
and  as  this  countenances  the  supposition  that  the  others 
also  were  then  recognized,  the  author  has  adopted  many 
of  them  in  the  representation  given  in  the  text.     Acorn- 


164  Notes, 

plete  exhibition  of  them   would   only  have   wearied  the 
reader. 

Chapter  V.    B.— p.  38. 
Sephoris. — Tradition  makes  Sephoris  the  dwelling-place 
of  the  parents  of  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  according  to 
the  Protevangelium  Jacobi. 

C— p.  41. 
Eat  human  flesh. — A  crime  with  which  Christians  were 
commonly  charged  in  the  first  centuries  of  the  Church. 

Chapter  VII.     D. — p.  52. 
A  divine  flame,  fyc. — Thus  Jerome  (Apnl.  III.  adv.  Ruf. 
C.  9)  explains  the  pretended  miracle ;  Eusebius  (Hist.  IV. 
6.)  also  hints  at  it. 

Chapter  XII.    E.— p.  82. 
The  Gospel  of  Matthew. — In  Elizabeth  we  have  an  ad- 
herent of  the  sect  of  Nazarenes.     We  learn  from  Epipha- 
nius  that  they  had  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  in  the  Hebrew 
language. 

Chapter  XIII.      F.— p.  96. 

Three  different  opinions. — Euphemus  is  a  Gentile  Chris- 
tian. The  Jewish  Christians  were  divided  into  those  who, 
like  Elizabeth,  regarded  the  continued  observance  of  the 
law  only  as  permitted  (Acts,  c.  15) ;  and  those  who,  like 
the  Levite,  looked  upon  it  as  a  duty.  The  latter  formed  at 
a  somewhat  later  period  the  sect  of  Ebionites,  and  held 
moreover  that  Christ  was  only  a  man.  Euseb.  Hist.  III. 
C.  27.     Orig.  c.  Cels.  3. 

G.— p.  96. 

Justin. — See  DiaL  c.  Tryph. — He  wrote  his  first  Defence 
of  Christianity,  A.  D.  140, 


NOTES.  165 

Chapter  XIV.      H.— p.  100. 

That  v:ill  be  no  hard  task. — The  proof  passages  for  the 
divinity  of  Christ  are  taken  from  Justin,  Dial.  c.  Triph. 

I.— p.  101. 

His  thousand  years  reign. — This  expectation  was  very 
common  among  Christians,  and  especially  among  Jewish 
Christians,  at  that  time. — Justin,  Dial.  c.  Tryph. 

Chapter  XIX.    K.— p.  127. 

The  Pilgrimage  to  the  Jordan. — According  to  Jerome  de 
Nominibus  Hebraicis,  under  Bethabara,  the  Christians  of  his 
time  still  desired  to  receive  their  baptism  in  the  Jordan. 
Even  Constantine  had  cherished  this  wish.— Euseb.  Vita 
Const.  62. 

L.— p.  128. 
Easter-week. — The  usual  season  for  Baptism  in  ancient 
times  was  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide. 

M.— p.  129. 

Early  on  the  following  morning  they  repaired  to  the  shore 
of  the  Jordan. — The  description  of  the  Baptism,  as  well  as 
of  the  Eucharist,  is  according  to  the  account  given  by 
Justin,  apologia  I. 

N.— p.  129. 

The  Deaconess  had  supplied  the  place  of  Godmother. — 
This  relation  seems  to  have  existed  at  this  time,  although 
it  is  first  mentioned  by  Tertullian  de  Baptismo  [near  the 
close  of  the  second  century]. — Suiceri  Thesaurus  ad  voc. 
Anadochos, 


166  NOTES, 

Chapter  XXI.     0.— p.  142. 

The  church  of  the.  Lord  has  but  one  feast. — It  is  probable 
that  but  one  feast,  that  of  Easter,  was  celebrated  at  this 
time  ;  there  is  at  least  no  clear  intimation  of  the  feast  at 
Whitsuntide. 

P.— p.  144. 
The  Paschal  Lamb  which  constituted  the  principal  dish — 
Schroch's  Church  History,  III.  83.     This  custom  continued 
to  be  observed  at  a  still  later  period. — Bingham,  Origines, 
vol.  VI.  262;  Augusti  Teste  der  alten  Christen,  II.  12. 

Q.— p.  145. 

The  meal  commenced  with  a  prayer. — The  account  of 
the  love-feast  is  given,  often  word  for  word,  according  to 
the  description  of  Tertullian,  adv.  gentes,  c.  39. 


